--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great artist Michelangelo claimed…" description: "\"The great artist Michelangelo claimed that his sculptures were already present in the stone, and all he had to do was carve away everything else. Our u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/sheena-iyengar-2596_art_the-great-artist-michelangelo-claimed-th_2197051.png" --- # The great artist Michelangelo claimed that his sculptures… ![“The great artist Michelangelo claimed that his sculptures were already present in the stone, and all he had to do was carve away everything else. Our understanding of identity is often similar: Beneath the many layers of shoulds and shouldn’ts that cover us, there lies a constant, single, true…” quote by Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/sheena-iyengar-2596_art_the-great-artist-michelangelo-claimed-th_2197051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/sheena-iyengar-2596_art_the-great-artist-michelangelo-claimed-th_2197051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/sheena-iyengar-2596_art_the-great-artist-michelangelo-claimed-th_2197051.png) > “The great artist Michelangelo claimed that his sculptures were already present in the stone, and all he had to do was carve away everything else. Our understanding of identity is often similar: Beneath the many layers of shoulds and shouldn’ts that cover us, there lies a constant, single, true self that is just waiting to be discovered.” [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote likens discovering one's true self to sculpting, suggesting that beneath societal expectations lies an authentic identity waiting to be uncovered. **In simple terms:** True self is hidden beneath layers of expectations. Key Takeaway Look beyond external labels to find core identity. Themes identity self‑discovery authenticity Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - coaching - creative work Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What layers are you removing? - How might your "true self" change over time? A Different Perspective Self‑concept can be fluid, not a single fixed core. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-michelangelo-4810358/) [Claimed Sculptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claimed-sculptures-4810359/) [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Great art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-art/) [Great artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artist/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Layers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/layers/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michelangelo/) [Michelangelo Claimed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michelangelo-claimed-4810357/) [Sculpture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpture/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [True self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-self/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understanding Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding-identity-1513101/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [“But this is the starting point, or—more likely—the starting-over point. You can’t go any further until you realize that the worth of your activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/but-this-is-the-starting-point-or-more-likely-the-starting-over-point/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [“Let a clear understanding of your identity In Christ shed light on all the ways you can live out your purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/let-a-clear-understanding-of-your-identity-in-christ-shed-light-on/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“We do not behave out of our identity, we behave out of our understanding of our identity in Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-hendrix/we-do-not-behave-out-of-our-identity-we-behave-out-of-our/) [Shelley Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-hendrix/) > [We are the clay, and you are Michelangelo. 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But not just pretty pictures that required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-blech/how-to-maintain-the-proper-mood-and-not-bore-the-congregation-to/) [Benjamin Blech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-blech/) > [Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/michelangelo-indeed-could-have-carved-out-your-features/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“Like Michelangelo spending eight months in the mountains of Carrara, selecting the most perfect blocks of marble for the tomb of Pope Julius II,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/like-michelangelo-spending-eight-months-in-the-mountains-of-carrara/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“To Giovanni da Pistoia Michelangelo, translated from the Italian by Joel Agee \| 144 words (On painting the vault of the Sistine Chapel) 1509…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-giovanni-da-pistoia-michelangelo-translated-from-the-italian-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When they asked Michelangelo how he made his statue of David he is reported to have said, "It is easy. You just chip away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/when-they-asked-michelangelo-how-he-made-his-statue-of-david-he-is/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [Don't listen to those who say, you taking too big a chance. Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/don-t-listen-to-those-who-say-you-taking-too-big-a-chance/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [If we now seek the spiritual significance of the technique of Michelangelo we shall find that his sculpture expressed restless energy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/if-we-now-seek-the-spiritual-significance-of-the-technique-of/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [“Michelangelo’s mistakes, frozen within testimony of concrete—what they suggest is that mistakes are, first and foremost, a by-product of the pursuit of excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-harmon/michelangelo-s-mistakes-frozen-within-testimony-of-concrete-what-they/) [James L. Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-harmon/) > [“In the case of Michel Angelo we have an artist who with brush and chisel portrayed literally thousands of human forms; but with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-carpenter/in-the-case-of-michel-angelo-we-have-an-artist-who-with-brush-and/) [Edward Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-carpenter/) ## More by Sheena Iyengar > [“Personal happiness is always a very serious matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/personal-happiness-is-always-a-very-serious-matter/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [“move. For one thing, you’re going to start paying more attention. Yes, perhaps you’ll sometimes have a crazed, wild-eyed look, but that’s a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/move-for-one-thing-you-re-going-to-start-paying-more-attention-yes/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [What we share with animals is a desire for choice. It's a desire to have control over our life and a desire to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/what-we-share-with-animals-is-a-desire-for-choice-it-s-a-desire-to/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [You know, you take a little infant and you turn on the music mobile on their crib and you find that if you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/you-know-you-take-a-little-infant-and-you-turn-on-the-music-mobile-on/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I went home and they seemed... my parents seemed normal. They didn't seem to feel like somehow they had been victims of some Nazi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-went-home-and-they-seemed-my-parents-seemed-normal-they-didn-t-seem/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The less control people had over their work, the higher their blood pressure during work hours. Moreover, blood pressure at home was unrelated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-less-control-people-had-over-their-work-the-higher-their-blood/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Consumers presented with six choices on an item were twice as likely to buy as consumers overwhelmed with 24 varieties of the same item.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/consumers-presented-with-six-choices-on-an-item-were-twice-as-likely/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The quality of health care continues to improve, and people are living longer, but these developments mean that we're likely to eventually find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-quality-of-health-care-continues-to-improve-and-people-are-living/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [The key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/the-key-to-getting-the-most-from-choice-is-to-be-choosy-about-choosing/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I used to go to this store called Draeger's and you had a little bit of that same feeling because this was a store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-used-to-go-to-this-store-called-draeger-s-and-you-had-a-little-bit/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/balancing-hopes-desires-and-an-appreciating-of-the-possibilities-with/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [So gut tells you "How do I feel about this right now?" It doesn't tell me how I feel about it tomorrow or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/so-gut-tells-you-how-do-i-feel-about-this-right-now-it-doesn-t-tell/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I put out a good 10 different types of drinks for them and they just said, "Oh, okay, so it's just one choice." One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/i-put-out-a-good-10-different-types-of-drinks-for-them-and-they-just/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Like, people are less likely to invest in their retirement when they have more options in their 401K plans than when they have fewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/like-people-are-less-likely-to-invest-in-their-retirement-when-they/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) [Explore all 158 Sheena Iyengar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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