There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Creating something truly original requires forgetting all past examples of that subject to avoid imitation.
- In plain terms
- To paint a rose well, you must forget how others painted roses.
- What can you take from it?
- Start fresh by ignoring past conventions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What influences hold you back from originality?
- How do you clear your mind before creating?
Another view
It is difficult to completely forget what you have seen.
More from Henri Matisse
You study, you learn, but you guard the original naivete. It has to be within you, as desire for drink is within the drunkard or love is within the lover.
Permalink to quote #4 A picture must possess a real power to generate light ... for a long time now I've been conscious of expressing myself through light or rather in light.
Permalink to quote #6 At each stage I reach a balance, a conclusion. At the next sitting, if I find that there is a weakness in the whole, I make my way back into the picture by mea…
Permalink to quote #3
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