The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions, which have been hidden by the answers.
~ James Baldwin
(A Toolbox for Humanity: More Than 9000 Years of Thought)
hidden questions
The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions, which have been hidden by the answers.
~ James Baldwin
(A Toolbox for Humanity: More Than 9000 Years of Thought)
Barbara,
Now there is a thought provoking quote! I love the painting too, great choice.
Thanks, Jeff! I’m still trying to understand this quote. Sometimes I think it means that when we think we have all the answers then we often stop asking questions and stagnate…
I’m with Jeff, that’s a GREAT thought-provoking quote and terrific supporting artwork!
Thanks, Laurie! I think art does sometimes inspire us to start asking different kinds of questions…
I’m with your other commenters–that quote really makes us think! I always thought that the questions were more important than the answers. Now it appears that we’ve got everything backwards. The questions have been hidden by the answers. This is so cool.
Thanks Kathy! Some scientists will occasionally say that they were asking the wrong questions which blinded them from making a discovery… Way past my bedtime – I still think the questions are more important than the answers. Answers can be so final, leaving no room for the evolution of ideas and images…
Great quote. Like a good movie that stays with you long after you leave the movie theater, this quote will stay with us for a while.
I don’t believe I’ve seen a Renoir portrait just of men before. Love it.
Thanks, Rosie! The first time I saw a print of this painting was in a coffee table book on Renoir I picked up at a used book store. Something about the colors and the expressions on their faces pulls me in…
Hi Barbara,
It wasn’t that long ago that I went to a gallery with a friend, and what has always amazed me is how different people can look at a painting, but have totally different ideas on what the painting means to them. Both of us saw different paintings in different ways, and then discussing each others view point you also get to see the painting in a different light. There definitely is hidden questions, and answers in a lot of art, this to me proves how great an artist is to be able to reflect that as well.
I know what you mean. It’s the same way with the meanings and feelings we find in lyrics and music. That’s one thing I’ve discovered by sharing these pictures and words – it’s wonderful getting comments that open new ways of interpreting what I’ve seen. It seems like everyone sees through their own lenses and sometimes we can trade our spectacles for a fresh viewpoint for a moment or two!
What a great quote! As your other commenters have mentioned, it’s very thought-provoking. I could ponder that one for ages…
Me, too! Hope we never stop finding more questions to ponder… 🙂
Yes – good quote. Works for journalism and history also.
Good point! Will now be pondering that connection…
Mmmm… that’s one way of looking at it.
Love to see these old paintings, by the way. Like looking at a photo – a glimpse into past times.
It’s the old paintings that are in the public domain, otherwise I’d be posting modern ones, too. 🙂 But certain images seem to transcend time and connect us to the past.
Hi, Barbara. Great post. Makes me appreciate art in a more meaningful way.
An Artist paints on a blank canvas, having in mind a subject, an image, a thought or a feeling but once the painting itself is finished, it is the viewer himself who makes a story out of a painting. The painting looks like a portrait of two brothers, nicely done but the beauty of it lies beyond the painting itself. Who these subjects were and their past gives it substance and meaning.It also relates to who we are and what it reminds us when we look at it. It reminded me of my dad and how we used to spend time together.thank you for making me think about him today.
You’re welcome! A musician once said that when he writes a song it may have deep personal meaning for him. But after the song is released his fans put their own interpretations on it and he feels that it is no longer his, but rather a gift that he has given to them. I suspect many artists and writers may feel the same way about their creations.