The artist is chosen by God to fulfill his commands and must never be overwhelmed by public opinion.

My father suffered much and toiled painfully all his life, for he had no resources other than the proceeds of his trade from which to support himself and his wife and family.

Nature holds the beautiful, for the artist who has the insight to extract it. Thus, beauty lies even in humble, perhaps ugly things, and the ideal, which bypasses or improves on nature, may not be truly beautiful in the end.

Simplicity is the greatest adornment of art.

And since geometry is the right foundation of all painting, I have decided to teach its rudiments and principles to all youngsters eager for art. . .

Some think that they know everybody, but they really don't know themselves.

Why has God given me such magnificent talent? It is a curse as well as a great blessing.