---
title: "The convention by which the great events in biblical or secular histo… — Kenneth Clark Quote #25 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "The convention by which the great events in biblical or secular history could be enacted only by magnificent physical specimens, handsome and well-gr… — a quote by Kenneth Clark."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # The convention by which the great events in biblical or secular history could be enacted only by magnificent physical specimens, handsome and well-groomed, went on for a long time - till the middle of the nineteenth century. Only a very few artists - perhaps only Rembrandt and Caravaggio in the first rank - were independent enough to stand against it. And I think that this convention, which was an element in the so-called grand manner, became a deadening influence on the European mind. It deadened our sense of truth, even our sense of moral responsibility.

[Kenneth Clark](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark)\#25[WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)](https://wa.me/?text=%E2%80%9CThe%20convention%20by%20which%20the%20great%20events%20in%20biblical%20or%20secular%20history%20could%20be%20enacted%20only%20by%20magnificent%20physical%20specimens%2C%20handsome%20and%20well-groomed%2C%20went%20on%20for%20a%20long%20time%20-%20till%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20nineteenth%20century.%20Only%20a%20very%20few%20artists%20-%20perhaps%20only%20Rembrandt%20and%20Caravaggio%20in%20the%20first%20rank%20-%20were%20independent%20enough%20to%20stand%20against%20it.%20And%20I%20think%20that%20this%20convention%2C%20which%20was%20an%20element%20in%20the%20so-called%20grand%20manner%2C%20became%20a%20deadening%20influence%20on%20the%20European%20mind.%20It%20deadened%20our%20sense%20of%20truth%2C%20even%20our%20sense%20of%20moral%20responsibility.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Kenneth%20Clark%20https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F25%2F)[X (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CThe%20convention%20by%20which%20the%20great%20events%20in%20biblical%20or%20secular%20history%20could%20be%20enacted%20only%20by%20magnificent%20physical%20specimens%2C%20handsome%20and%20well-groomed%2C%20went%20on%20for%20a%20long%20time%20-%20till%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20nineteenth%20century.%20Only%20a%20very%20few%20artists%20-%20perhaps%20only%20Rembrandt%20and%20Caravaggio%20in%20the%20first%20rank%20-%20were%20independent%20enough%20to%20stand%20against%20it.%20And%20I%20think%20that%20this%20convention%2C%20which%20was%20an%20element%20in%20the%20so-called%20grand%20manner%2C%20became%20a%20deadening%20influence%20on%20the%20European%20mind.%20It%20deadened%20our%20sense%20of%20truth%2C%20even%20our%20sense%20of%20moral%20responsibility.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Kenneth%20Clark&url=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F25%2F)[Facebook (opens in a new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FKenneth-Clark%2F25%2F)

## More from Kenneth Clark

1. > The great artist takes what he needs.

[Permalink to quote \#24](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/24/ "Permalink to quote 24")
2. > I wonder if a single thought that has helped forward the human spirit has ever been conceived or written down in an enormous room: except, perhaps, in the read…

[Permalink to quote \#26](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/26/ "Permalink to quote 26")
3. > Heroes do not easily tolerate the company of other heroes.

[Permalink to quote \#23](https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/23/ "Permalink to quote 23")

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Quotation",
    "text": "The convention by which the great events in biblical or secular history could be enacted only by magnificent physical specimens, handsome and well-groomed, went on for a long time - till the middle of the nineteenth century. Only a very few artists - perhaps only Rembrandt and Caravaggio in the first rank - were independent enough to stand against it. And I think that this convention, which was an element in the so-called grand manner, became a deadening influence on the European mind. It deadened our sense of truth, even our sense of moral responsibility.",
    "url": "https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/25/",
    "spokenByCharacter": {
        "@type": "Person",
        "name": "Kenneth Clark"
    }
}
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "Authors",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/authors/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "Kenneth Clark",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 4,
            "name": "Quote #25",
            "item": "https://quotesby.net/Kenneth-Clark/25/"
        }
    ]
}
```