---
title: "The three towering geniuses of European culture, Shakespeare, Mozart … — John Mortimer Quote #4 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "The three towering geniuses of European culture, Shakespeare, Mozart and Leonardo da Vinci were not allowed to appear on the euro note as they might,… — a quote by John Mortimer."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # The three towering geniuses of European culture, Shakespeare, Mozart and Leonardo da Vinci were not allowed to appear on the euro note as they might, in their separate ways, cause offense: Mozart because he was a 'womanizer,' Shakespeare because he wrote The Merchant of Venice, a play judged to be anti-Semitic, and Leonardo because he was reported to fancy boys. Now the euro note carries a picture of a rather dull bridge.

[John Mortimer](https://quotesby.net/John-Mortimer)\#4

[Art](https://quotesby.net/John-Mortimer/art/)[Censorship](https://quotesby.net/topics/censorship/)[Controversy](https://quotesby.net/topics/controversy/)[Culture](https://quotesby.net/topics/culture/)[History](https://quotesby.net/topics/history/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Censorship in cultural representation prioritizes avoiding offense over greatness.In plain termsGreat artists are excluded from public symbols to avoid controversy.What can you take from it?Greatness often risks offense and should still be celebrated.

### Where it applies

- policy decisions
- public symbolism
- cultural debates

### Putting it to work

- defend controversial art
- challenge censorship
- value history

### Questions to consider

- Should controversial figures be excluded from public honors?
- What values should public symbols represent?

### Another view

Symbols must sometimes balance representation with public sensitivity.

## More from John Mortimer

1. > And in spite of David and Jonathan, Hamlet and Horatio, Caesar and Antony, Bush and Blair, women have a greater gift, I think, for friendship.

[Permalink to quote \#3](https://quotesby.net/John-Mortimer/3/ "Permalink to quote 3")
2. > The anxiety has been greatly increased by this government's multiplication of exams and emphasis on starting training as a middle manager in a computer company…

[Permalink to quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/John-Mortimer/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")
3. > A barrister's job is to put the case for the defense as effectively and clearly as would his client if he had an advocate's skills. The barrister's belief or d…

[Permalink to quote \#2](https://quotesby.net/John-Mortimer/2/ "Permalink to quote 2")

## Related quotes

1. > In Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed - they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and the Renaissanc…

[Orson Welles](https://quotesby.net/Orson-Welles)[Orson Welles quote \#2](https://quotesby.net/Orson-Welles/2/ "Permalink to quote 2")
2. > Dort, wo man Bucher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen.

[Heinrich Heine](https://quotesby.net/Heinrich-Heine)[Heinrich Heine quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Heinrich-Heine/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")
3. > In one gallery they actually had a notice which said 'No Sketching.' How obnoxious! I said, 'How do you think these things got on the walls if there was no ske…

[David Hockney](https://quotesby.net/David-Hockney)[David Hockney quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/David-Hockney/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")

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