One must be a living man and a posthumous artist.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Cocteau suggests an artist must live fully in the present while also creating work that outlasts them.
- In plain terms
- Be alive and present now but create things that last forever.
- What can you take from it?
- Live fully today while building a legacy that survives you.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What do you want your work to say after you are gone?
- How do you balance current needs with future impact?
Another view
Focusing too much on legacy might distract from living in the moment.
More from Jean Cocteau
Art is science made clear.
Permalink to quote #35 An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original.
Permalink to quote #37 What the public criticizes in you, cultivate. It is you.
Permalink to quote #34
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