James Whistler Quotes - Page 2

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• I can't tell you if genius is hereditary, because heaven has granted me no offspring.

  James Whistler

  Heaven, Intelligence, Genius

  14 Copy quote

• The rare few, who, early in life have rid themselves of the friendship of the many.

  James Whistler

  Friendship

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.26, Courier Corporation

  9 Copy quote

• The work of a master reeks not of the sweat of the brow - suggests no effort - and is finished from its beginning.

  James Whistler

  Sweat, Effort, Masters

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.100, Courier Corporation

  6 Copy quote

• The masterpiece should appear as the flower to the painter - perfect in its bud as in its bloom - with no reason to explain its presence - no mission to fulfill - a joy to the artist, a delusion to the philanthropist - a puzzle to the botanist - an accident of sentiment and alliteration to the literary man.

  James Whistler

  Flower, Artist, Men

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.100, Courier Corporation

  8 Copy quote

• I always ask at once, 'Do you drink?' and if she says 'No,' I bow politely and say I am sorry but I fear she will not suit. All good cooks drink.

  James Whistler

  Sorry, Food, Cooking

  15 Copy quote

• Art is a goddess of dainty thought, reticent of habit, abjuring all obtrusiveness, purposing in no way to better others. She is, withal selfishly occupied with her own perfection only - having no desire to teach.

  James Whistler

  Art, Perfection, Desire

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.110, Courier Corporation

  8 Copy quote

• I maintain that two and two would continue to make four, in spite of the whine of the amateur for three, or the cry of the critic for five.

  James Whistler

  Two, Three, Four

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.44, Courier Corporation

  11 Copy quote

• To say of a picture, as is often said in its praise, that it shows great and earnest labour, is to say that it is incomplete and unfit for view.

  James Whistler

  Views, Praise, Said

  7 Copy quote

• It is for the artist... in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day; to paint the man, in short, as well as his features.

  James Whistler

  Artist, Men, One Day

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.107, Courier Corporation

  8 Copy quote

• Art happens-no hovel is safe from it, no prince may depend upon it, the vastest intelligence cannot bring it about.

  James Whistler

  Art, Intelligence, May

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.118, Courier Corporation

  6 Copy quote

• The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell.

  James Whistler

  Majority, Stories, May

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.106, Courier Corporation

  7 Copy quote

• Nature is very rarely right, to such an extent even, that it might almost be said that nature is usually wrong.

  James Whistler

  Might, Said

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.114, Courier Corporation

  7 Copy quote

• Listen! There was never an artistic period. There was never an art-loving nation.

  James Whistler

  Appreciation, Art, Periods

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.112, Courier Corporation

  7 Copy quote

• Nature is usually wrong.

  James Whistler

  Nature

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.114, Courier Corporation

  6 Copy quote

• Can't a person be born where they want to be born?

  James Whistler

  Want, Born, Persons

  7 Copy quote

• If silicon had been a gas I should have been a major-general.

  James Whistler

  Science, Should Have, Gas

  6 Copy quote

• Art is limited to the infinite, and beginning there cannot progress.

  James Whistler

  Art, Progress, Infinite

  James McNeill Whistler (1967). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.155, Courier Corporation

  7 Copy quote

• Work alone will efface the footsteps of work.

  James Whistler

  Footsteps

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.100, Courier Corporation

  8 Copy quote

• I remember that at one time I always made a drawing before going to bed!! - Of myself I mean - though I finally destroyed most of them.

  James Whistler

  Mean, Drawing, Bed

  Margaret F. MacDonald, James McNeill Whistler (1976). “Whistler: The Graphic Work: Amsterdam, Liverpool, London, Venice: An Exhibition Organised by Thos. Agnew & Sons, London, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and the Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow, in Association with the Arts Council of Great Britain, 1976”

  7 Copy quote

• Over and over again did the Attorney-General cry out aloud, in the agony of his cause, 'What is to become of painting if the critics withhold their lash?

  James Whistler

  Agony, Causes, Painting

  James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.44, Courier Corporation

  4 Copy quote

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