Honore de Balzac Quotes

The perfection of art is to conceal the sources.

Producing perfection from imperfection is, after all, the highest of art forms.

You have to make thousands and thousands of drawings before an illustration is perfected.

Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything.

It is through art, and through art only, that we can realise our perfection.

The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.

Works of Art can only be produc'd in Perfection where the Man is either in Affluence or is Above the Care of it.

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who can't attain it in anything.

He who excels in his art so as to carry it to the utmost height of perfection of which it is capable may be said in some measure to go beyond it: his transcendent productions admit of no appellations.

Artists who approach perfection do not have many ideas.

The perfection of an art consists in the employment of a comprehensive system of laws, commensurate to every purpose within its scope, but concealed from the eye of the spectator; and in the production of effects that seem to flow forth spontaneously, as though uncontrolled by their influence, and which are equally excellent, whether regarded individually, or in reference to the proposed result.

You stand your ground and you perform your art. That's what the artist does. The artist is about perfection.

The excellence of every art, must consist in the complete accomplishment of its purpose

Albert Durer, the famous painter, used to say he had no pleasure in pictures that were painted with many colors, but in those which were painted with a choice simplicity. So it is with me as to sermons.

Art has no end but its own perfection.

In this state one enriches everything out of one's own fullness: whatever one sees, whatever wills is seen swelled, taut, strong, overloaded with strength. A man in this state transforms things until they mirror his power—until they are reflections of his perfection. This having to transform into perfection is—art.

Every masterpiece is just dirt and ash put together in some perfect way.

It's always necessary to seek for perfection. Obviously, for us, this word no longer has the same meaning. To me, it means: from one canvas to the next, always go further, further.

O great creator of being grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives.

There are fine things that are more brilliant when they are unfinished than when finished too much.

The trouble with a lot of artists today is that they have too much technique and equipment. They don't know what to do with it all. If you cut down on it, you can work more strongly within narrower limits.

I strive for perfection, but of course it can never be perfect. I'm never satisfied at the end of a performance. But the great thing about live theatre is that every night you get another chance to get it right.

Just two words: a masterpiece.

I tell young people that the greatest paintings in museums are made with minerals mixed in oil smeared on cloth with the hair from the back of a pig's ear. It's that simple.