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About this quote

What does it mean?
The artist uses paintings to convey symbolic stories.
In plain terms
My paintings tell stories with symbols, not just show portraits.
What can you take from it?
Art serves a symbolic purpose beyond likeness.

Where it applies

  • artistic statement
  • exhibition

Putting it to work

  • explaining artistic intent

Questions to consider

  • Should art always have deeper meaning?

Another view

It limits the value of direct portraiture.

More from Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

  1. A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness, in fact he creates new appearances of things.

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  2. The German artist creates out of his imagination,inner vision,the forms of visible nature are to him only a symbol.

    Permalink to quote #3
  3. The way in which I depict people was now influenced very strongly by my third wife..and her sister.The beautiful,shapely architectonically structured bodies of…

    Permalink to quote #4

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