--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even this artistic life, which we know is…" description: "\"Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life, appears to me to be so alive and so vital that it would be a form ingratitude not to be conten..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg" --- # Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life… ![“Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life, appears to me to be so alive and so vital that it would be a form ingratitude not to be content with it.” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg) > “Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life, appears to me to be so alive and so vital that it would be a form ingratitude not to be content with it.” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art, though not real life, feels vivid and vital; neglecting it would be ungrateful. **In simple terms:** Art feels alive; ignoring it is ungrateful. Key Takeaway Value artistic expression. Themes art existence gratitude Mood reflective appreciative Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - museum visits - creative practice - art education - personal reflection Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy creativity Questions to Reflect On - How does art enrich your life? - What does gratitude look like in creativity? A Different Perspective Art may be seen as escapism by some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Artistic life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic-life/) [Ingratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingratitude/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [Love trumps everything. Love's decision will not always be kind to your artistic life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinita-hampton-wright/love-trumps-everything-love-s-decision-will-not-always-be-kind-to/) [Vinita Hampton Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinita-hampton-wright/) > [It is fatal to one's artistic life to talk about something this is in process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/it-is-fatal-to-one-s-artistic-life-to-talk-about-something-this-is-in/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [I think for anyone who follows the 'artistic life,' a certain amount of selfishness and self-involvement is part of the package. You're probably already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/i-think-for-anyone-who-follows-the-artistic-life-a-certain-amount-of/) [David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/) > [My whole artistic life has always been about change, change, change, move on, move on. It's the only thing I find interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/my-whole-artistic-life-has-always-been-about-change-change-change/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The pleasure that attaches to the artistic life comes in imagining what we might do as opposed to acknowledging what we have done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-solomon/the-pleasure-that-attaches-to-the-artistic-life-comes-in-imagining/) [Deborah Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-solomon/) > [My whole artistic life has been devoted to battling myself and my ability to externalize my deepest emotions. As I have gotten older, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-tenneson/my-whole-artistic-life-has-been-devoted-to-battling-myself-and-my/) [Joyce Tenneson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-tenneson/) > [Religious life is not going to go away. It will take a different form. Why am I so sure it's not going to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/religious-life-is-not-going-to-go-away-it-will-take-a-different-form/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Woodstock had a tremendous impact on American artistic life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/woodstock-had-a-tremendous-impact-on-american-artistic-life/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In the fullness of artistic life there is, and remains, and will always come back at times, that homesick longing for the truly ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/in-the-fullness-of-artistic-life-there-is-and-remains-and-will-always/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [However confused the scene of our life appears, however torn we may be who now do face that scene, and we can go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/however-confused-the-scene-of-our-life-appears-however-torn-we-may-be-2/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [However bad your life appears, things could be far, far worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-somper/however-bad-your-life-appears-things-could-be-far-far-worse/) [Justin Somper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-somper/) > [“I find nothing so singular in life as that everything appears to lose its substance the instant one actually grapples with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/i-find-nothing-so-singular-in-life-as-that-everything-appears-to-lose/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Life, individual or collective, personal or historic, is the one entity in the universe whose substance is compact of danger, of adventure. It is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/life-individual-or-collective-personal-or-historic-is-the-one-entity/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [However confused the scene of our life appears, however torn we may be who now do face that scene, it can be faced, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/however-confused-the-scene-of-our-life-appears-however-torn-we-may-be/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [The first thing I would like to tell you about death is that there is no bigger lie than death. And yet, death appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-first-thing-i-would-like-to-tell-you-about-death-is-that-there-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. 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"That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life, appears to me to be so alive and so vital that it would be a form ingratitude not to be content with it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent Van Gogh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is-not-real-life-appears-to-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is-not-real-life-appears-to-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/vincent-van-gogh-486_alive_even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is_2550502.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even this artistic life, which we know is not real life, appears to me to be so alive and so vital that it…” — Vincent Van Gogh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vincent Van Gogh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even this artistic life, which we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is-not-real-life-appears-to-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/even-this-artistic-life-which-we-know-is-not-real-life-appears-to-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```