The painter who draws merely by practice and by eye, without any reason, is like a mirror which copies everything placed in front of it without being conscious of their existence.

A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.

If the painter wishes to see beauties that charm him, it lies in his power to create them, and if he wishes to see monstrosities that are frightful, ridiculous, or truly pitiable, he is lord and God thereof.

The poet ranks far below the painter in the representation of visible things, and far below the musician in that of invisible things.

A good painter has two main objects to paint, man and the intention of his soul. The former is easy, the latter hard as he has to represent it by the attitude and movement of the limbs.

The painter strives and competes with nature.