All works, no matter what or by whom painted, are nothing but bagatelles and childish trifles... unless they are made and painted from life, and there can be nothing... better than to follow nature.
Interpretation
Art is only of value when it is created from real-life experiences and nature.
In this quote, Caravaggio emphasizes the importance of grounding artistic work in real-life experiences and nature. He suggests that all artistic creations are trivial unless they are inspired by the beauty and truth found in the natural world, highlighting the significance of authenticity in art.
In practice
During an art workshop, to remind participants of the importance of realism, I might say this quote.
Preparing a character is the opposite of building-it is a demolishing, removing brick by brick everything in the actor's muscles, ideas and inhibitions that stands between him and the part, until one day, with a great rush of air, the character invades his every pore.
I've never made any picture, good or bad, without paying for it in emotional turmoil.
Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art
I paint what I see and not what others like to see.
Music is spiritual. The music business is not.
I did roles that I hated, and there were roles that were detrimental to my acting ability. There were roles that I was always doing that were always the comic relief... it was destroying my soul.
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