The Louvre is like the morgue; one goes there to identify one's friends.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Visiting a museum of old masters feels like visiting the dead rather than seeing art.
- In plain terms
- Looking at old paintings is like checking on friends who have passed away.
- What can you take from it?
- Art preserves memory but also reminds us of mortality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does art feel dead or alive?
- How do we relate to the past?
Another view
Art can also feel vibrant and alive.
More from Jean Cocteau
I am a lie who always speaks the truth.
Permalink to quote #3 Poets don't draw. They unravel their handwriting and then tie it up again, but differently.
Permalink to quote #5 A prig always finds a last refuge in responsibility.
Permalink to quote #2
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