Quotations

"A work of art is like a person: it has more than one soul in its breast."

— Alfred Brendel, Austrian pianist, born 1931

"Let the good in me connect with the good in others, until all the world is transformed through the compelling power of love."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"More men die from overeating than undernourishment."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"If you never want to see the face of hell, when you come home from work every night, dance with your kitchen towel and, if you're worried about waking up your family, take off your shoes."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"Just as your hand, held before the eye, can hide the tallest mountain, so this small earthly life keeps us from seeing the vast radiance that fills the core of the universe."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"Work at not needing approval from anyone and you will be free to be who you really are."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"There is Truth, the truth of the Truth and there is Peace. The Truth is 'the boy stole an apple', the truth of the Truth is 'the boy was hungry' and Peace is 'nobody stole anything, now, give the boy an apple!'"

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"Proper praying is like a person who wanders through a field gathering flowers-one by one, until they make a beautiful bouquet. In the same manner, a person must gather each letter, each syllable, to form them into words of prayer."

— Nachman of Breslov, Founder of the Breslov Hasidic Movement, born 1772

"In whatever picture-story we try to do, we are bound to arrive as intruders. It is essential to approach the subject on tiptoe—even if the subject is still-life."

— Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer, born 1908

"I’m not responsible for my photographs. Photography is not documentary, but intuition, a poetic experience. it's drowning yourself, dissolving yourself and then, sniff, sniff, sniff—being sensitive to coincidence. You can't go looking for it; you can't want it, or you won't get it. First you must lose your self. Then it happens."

— Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer, born 1908

"A photograph is neither taken nor seized by force. It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos."

— Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer, born 1908

"I was painting her portrait in the little studio, and when I came to the eyes I stopped, overcome by emotion, and said to her, 'Have you understood me?' She nodded affirmatively. 'Will you be my wife?' I asked. She made the same affirmative sign."

— Jules Breton, French painter, born 1827

"I have always had a passion for the beautiful. If the man in me is often a pessimist, the artist, on the contrary, is pre-eminently an optimist."

— Jules Breton, French painter, born 1827

"The wretched beings depicted by Millet touch us profoundly because he loved them profoundly. They have nothing in common with vulgar ugliness. Beauty will always remain the highest aim of art."

— Jules Breton, French painter, born 1827