--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A strange thing has happened - while all…" description: "\"A strange thing has happened - while all the other arts were born naked, this, the youngest, has been born fully-clothed. It can say everything before ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/virginia-woolf-49_art_a-strange-thing-has-happened-while-all-t_3078725.jpg" --- # A strange thing has happened - while all the other arts… ![“A strange thing has happened - while all the other arts were born naked, this, the youngest, has been born fully-clothed. It can say everything before it has anything to say. It is as if the savage tribe, instead of finding two bars of iron to play with, had found scattering the seashore fiddles…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/virginia-woolf-49_art_a-strange-thing-has-happened-while-all-t_3078725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/virginia-woolf-49_art_a-strange-thing-has-happened-while-all-t_3078725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4a/virginia-woolf-49_art_a-strange-thing-has-happened-while-all-t_3078725.jpg) > “A strange thing has happened - while all the other arts were born naked, this, the youngest, has been born fully-clothed. It can say everything before it has anything to say. It is as if the savage tribe, instead of finding two bars of iron to play with, had found scattering the seashore fiddles, flutes, saxophones, trumpets, grand pianos by Erhard and Bechstein, and had begun with incredible energy, but without knowing a note of music, to hammer and thump upon them all at the same time.” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage critiques modern art's overabundance of form without substance, likening it to noisy, untrained musicians. **In simple terms:** Modern art can be overly flashy without meaning. Key Takeaway Seek depth over mere spectacle. Themes art criticism modernism form vs content Mood analytical contemplative Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery curation - art education - creative practice - media analysis Key Concepts aesthetic theory cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What balance should art strike between form and meaning? - How does this view affect emerging artists? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify diverse artistic expressions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Bars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bars/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Born Naked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-naked-910273/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Fiddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiddle/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Flutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flutes/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Hammers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hammers/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [Iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iron/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Naked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naked/) [Naked Youngest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naked-youngest-5241698/) [Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savage/) [Savage Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savage-tribe-3399863/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [Seashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seashore/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-things/) [Tribes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribes/) [Trumpets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpets/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Every one of the constituent elements of a social group, in a modern city as in a savage tribe, is born immature, helpless, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/every-one-of-the-constituent-elements-of-a-social-group-in-a-modern/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Even in a savage tribe, the achievements of adults are far beyond what the immature members would be capable of if left to themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/even-in-a-savage-tribe-the-achievements-of-adults-are-far-beyond-what/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/we-are-born-naked-wet-and-hungry-then/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [“Naked we were born, naked shall we return to grave. What then is the toil?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/naked-we-were-born-naked-shall-we-return-to-grave-what-then-is-the/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/we-are-born-naked-wet-and-hungry-then-things-get-worse/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [Coming from where I came from, I was born naked with no teeth. Now I have everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-dos-anjos/coming-from-where-i-came-from-i-was-born-naked-with-no-teeth-now-i/) [Rafael dos Anjos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-dos-anjos/) > [I was born naked. I'm a natural. I'm a natural nude. So I've been on camera naked a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-was-born-naked-i-m-a-natural-i-m-a-natural-nude-so-i-ve-been-on/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [It's important to remember that you're born naked, and the rest is drag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/it-s-important-to-remember-that-you-re-born-naked-and-the-rest-is-drag/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [You were not born rich or poor , you were born naked>so go out there and be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaygee/you-were-not-born-rich-or-poor-you-were-born-naked-so-go-out-there/) [KayGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaygee/) > [We are all born naked into this world, but each of us is fully clothed in potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/we-are-all-born-naked-into-this-world-but-each-of-us-is-fully-clothed/) [Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/) > [I hear you were born naked……slut!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/i-hear-you-were-born-naked-slut/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [Like everyone else, I was born naked and screaming, waiting for my life to write itself on my skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-von-d/like-everyone-else-i-was-born-naked-and-screaming-waiting-for-my-life/) [Kat Von D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-von-d/) > [We're born naked, and the rest is drag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/we-re-born-naked-and-the-rest-is-drag/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [Just becuase you were born naked doesnt mean you have a right too walk about the streets with say your bra on and that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cfgvhbjnkm/just-becuase-you-were-born-naked-doesnt-mean-you-have-a-right-too/) [Cfgvhbjnkm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cfgvhbjnkm/) > [You're born naked, and the rest is drag! EVERYBODY is in drag. Whether you're a man or a woman. It just depends on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/you-re-born-naked-and-the-rest-is-drag-everybody-is-in-drag-whether/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## 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. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A strange thing has happened - while all the other arts were born naked, this, the youngest, has been born fully-clothed. 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