Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
What a strange vanity painting is; it attracts admiration by resembling the original, we do not admire.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pascal highlights the paradox of painting, where art mimics reality but doesn’t command the same admiration as the real thing.
In this quote, Blaise Pascal expresses a nuanced perspective on the nature of art, specifically painting. He points out the inherent vanity in painting—despite its ability to capture and mimic reality, the admiration it receives is often superficial, as the true beauty lies in the original subjects being represented. This reflection invites us to consider the deeper value of art and its relationship with the world it seeks to portray.
Themes
ArtPaintingAdmirationOriginalVanity
In practice
Example use cases
In a critique of a local art exhibit, one might say, 'What a strange vanity painting is; it attracts admiration by resembling the original, we do not admire.'
More from Blaise Pascal
All quotes →If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
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Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
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Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
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If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
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What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
Blaise PascalRead
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