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The masterpiece should appear as the flower to the painter—perfect in its bud as in its bloom - with no reason to explain it's 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 McNeill Whistler The Gentle Art of Making Enemies (1890)

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More quotes by James McNeill Whistler

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

The Gentle Art of Making Enemies (1890)

You shouldn't say it is not good. You should say you do not like it; and then, you know, you're perfectly safe.

Don C. Seitz in Whistler Stories (1913)

Two and two continue to make four, in spite of the whine of the amateur for three, or the cry of the critic for five.

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.

The Gentle Art of Making Enemies (1890)

Yes, madam, Nature is creeping up. [in response to a lady who said that a landscape reminded her of his work]

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: James McNeill Whistler (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.