The heaventree of stars hung with humid nightblue fruit.
James JoyceRead
He asked himself what is a woman standing on the stairs in the shadow, listening to distant music, a symbol of. If he were a painter he would paint her in that attitude. Her blue felt hat would show off the bronze of her hair against the darkness and the dark panels of her skirt would show off the light ones. Distant Music he would call the picture if he were a painter.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the beauty and symbolism of a woman in a moment of contemplation, emphasizing the power of art to capture such fleeting images.
In this quote, James Joyce illustrates the profound connections between perception, art, and emotion. He suggests that a woman's presence, captured in a moment of listening to distant music while standing in shadow, represents a deeper meaning that transcends the visual realm. The use of color and contrast in the potential painting highlights the interplay between light and dark, embodying the complexity of human experience and the essence of artistic expression. Joyce's contemplation of how he would depict this scene emphasizes the transformative nature of art and its ability to convey the subtleties of life.
Themes
ArtSymbolismEmotionPaintingPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a gallery, one might reference this quote while discussing the significance of capturing emotions in art.
More from James Joyce
All quotes βI think a child should be allowed to take his father's or mother's name at will on coming of age. Paternity is a legal fiction.
James JoyceRead
If he had smiled why would he have smiled? To reflect that each one who enters imagines himself to be the first to enter whereas he is always the last term of a preceding series even if the first term of a succeeding one, each imagining himself to be first, last, only and alone whereas he is neither first nor last nor only nor alone in a series originating in and repeated to infinity.
James JoyceRead
Gentle lady, do not sing Sad songs about the end of love; Lay aside sadness and sing How love that passes is enough. Sing about the long deep sleep Of lovers that are dead, and how In the grave all love shall sleep: Love is aweary now.
James JoyceRead
I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.
James JoyceRead
The movements which work revolutions in the world are born out of the dreams and visions in a peasant's heart on the hillside.
James JoyceRead
Similar quotes
People love talking about writers as storytellers, but I hate being called that: it suggests I got it from my grandmother or something, when my writing really comes out of silence. If a storyteller came up to me, I'd run away.
Colm ToibinRead
I used to play flute and clarinet at school, and although I wasn't thinking about making a living or getting a pay cheque, I already knew I was going to play music all my life.
Nile RodgersRead
A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself.
Francis SchaefferRead
Yves Saint Laurent is a young man of excellent taste; the more he copies me the more taste he displays.
Coco ChanelRead
The poetical impression of any object is that uneasy, exquisite sense of beauty or power that cannot be contained within itself; that is impatient of all limit; that (as flame bends to flame) strives to link itself to some other image of kindred beauty or grandeur; to enshrine itself, as it were, in the highest forms of fancy, and to relieve the aching sense of pleasure by expressing it in the boldest manner.
William HazlittRead
As she watched him she understood the quality of his beauty. How his labor had shaped him. How the wood he fashioned had fashioned him. Each plank he planed, each nail he drove, each thing he made molded him. Had left its stamp on him. Had given him his strength, his supple grace.
Arundhati RoyRead