---
title: "Great works of art can be produced in barbarous societies - in fact t… — Kenneth Clark Quote #20 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "Great works of art can be produced in barbarous societies - in fact the very narrowness of primitive society gives their ornamental art a peculiar co… — a quote by Kenneth Clark."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # Great works of art can be produced in barbarous societies - in fact the very narrowness of primitive society gives their ornamental art a peculiar concentration and vitality. At some time in the ninth century one could have looked down the Seine and seen the prow of a Viking ship coming up the river. Looked at today in the British Museum, it is a powerful work of art; but to the mother of a family trying to settle down in her little hut, it would have seemed less agreeable - as menacing to her civilisation as the periscope of a nuclear submarine.

[Kenneth Clark](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark)\#20[WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)](https://wa.me/?text=%E2%80%9CGreat%20works%20of%20art%20can%20be%20produced%20in%20barbarous%20societies%20-%20in%20fact%20the%20very%20narrowness%20of%20primitive%20society%20gives%20their%20ornamental%20art%20a%20peculiar%20concentration%20and%20vitality.%20At%20some%20time%20in%20the%20ninth%20century%20one%20could%20have%20looked%20down%20the%20Seine%20and%20seen%20the%20prow%20of%20a%20Viking%20ship%20coming%20up%20the%20river.%20Looked%20at%20today%20in%20the%20British%20Museum%2C%20it%20is%20a%20powerful%20work%20of%20art%3B%20but%20to%20the%20mother%20of%20a%20family%20trying%20to%20settle%20down%20in%20her%20little%20hut%2C%20it%20would%20have%20seemed%20less%20agreeable%20-%20as%20menacing%20to%20her%20civilisation%20as%20the%20periscope%20of%20a%20nuclear%20submarine.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Kenneth%20Clark%20https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F20%2F)[X (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CGreat%20works%20of%20art%20can%20be%20produced%20in%20barbarous%20societies%20-%20in%20fact%20the%20very%20narrowness%20of%20primitive%20society%20gives%20their%20ornamental%20art%20a%20peculiar%20concentration%20and%20vitality.%20At%20some%20time%20in%20the%20ninth%20century%20one%20could%20have%20looked%20down%20the%20Seine%20and%20seen%20the%20prow%20of%20a%20Viking%20ship%20coming%20up%20the%20river.%20Looked%20at%20today%20in%20the%20British%20Museum%2C%20it%20is%20a%20powerful%20work%20of%20art%3B%20but%20to%20the%20mother%20of%20a%20family%20trying%20to%20settle%20down%20in%20her%20little%20hut%2C%20it%20would%20have%20seemed%20less%20agreeable%20-%20as%20menacing%20to%20her%20civilisation%20as%20the%20periscope%20of%20a%20nuclear%20submarine.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Kenneth%20Clark&url=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F20%2F)[Facebook (opens in a new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F20%2F)

## More from Kenneth Clark

1. > Changes in the structure of society are not brought about solely by massive engines of doctrine. The first flash of insight which persuades human beings to cha…

[Permalink to quote \#19](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/19/ "Permalink to quote 19")
2. > People sometimes tell me that they prefer barbarism to civilisation. I doubt if they have given it a long enough trial. Like the people of Alexandria, they are…

[Permalink to quote \#21](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/21/ "Permalink to quote 21")
3. > Ruskin's much-derided moral theory of art was part of an attempt to show that this human activity, which we value so highly, engaged the whole of human persona…

[Permalink to quote \#18](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/18/ "Permalink to quote 18")

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