Art Quotes

The great art of governing consists in not letting men grow old in their jobs.

If the art of war were nothing but the art of avoiding risks, glory would become the prey of mediocre minds.... I have made all the calculations; fate will do the rest.

The art of war consists in bringing to bear with an inferior army a superiority of force at the point at which one attacks or is attacked.

Make war offensively; it is the sole means to become a great captain and to fathom the secrets of the art.

Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and it is to that which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement.

In a battle, as in a siege, the art consists in concentrating very heavy fire on a particular point. The line of battle once established, the one who has the ability to concentrate an unlooked for mass of artillery suddenly and unexpectedly on one of these points is sure to carry the day.

The art of war consists in being always able, even with an inferior army, to have stronger forces than the enemy at the point of attack or the point which is attacked.

Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about the later than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.

The art of choosing men is not nearly so difficult as the art of enabling those chosen to attain their full worth.

Art is not a treasure in the past or an importation from another land, but part of the present life of all living and creating peoples.

Africa's rock art is the common heritage of all Africans, but it is more than that. It is the common heritage of humanity.

Artists reach areas far beyond the reach of politicians. Art, especially entertainment and music, is understood by everybody, and it lifts the spirits and the morale of those who hear it.

Man is a means to that end. Man has no inalienable rights. His only rights are derived from, and conferred by, the state. Under such a system, the fountain of freedom runs dry. Restricted are man's liberties of press and assembly, his freedom to vote, and his freedom to listen and to read. Art, religion, education, music, and science come under the gripping yoke of government control. Man must be a dutiful servant to the omnipotent state.

Every man lives in two realms, the internal and the external. The internal is that realm of spiritual ends expressed in art, literature, morals, and religion. The external is that complex of devices, techniques, mechanisms, and instrumentalities by means of which we live.

The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.

I am never going to have anything more to do with politics or politicians. When this war is over, I shall confine myself entirely to writing and painting.

The arts are essen­tial to any com­plete national life. The State owes it to itself to sus­tain and encour­age them. I'll fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the rev­er­ence and delight which are their due.

Leave to the masters of art trained by a lifetime of devotion the wonderful process of picture-building and picture creation. Go out into the sunlight and be happy with what you see.

Just to paint is great fun. The colours are lovely to look at and delicious to squeeze out. Matching them, however crudely, with what you see is fascinating and absolutely absorbing.

At one side of the palette there is white, at the other black; and neither is ever used neat.