I don't know whether I believe in God or not. I think, really, I'm some sort of Buddhist. But the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer.

All my efforts go into creating an art that can be understood by everyone.

I cannot copy nature in a servile way; I am forced to interpret nature and submit it to the spirit of the picture. From the relationship I have found in all the tones there must result a living harmony of colors, a harmony analogous to that of a musical composition.

If my story were ever to be written truthfully from start to finish, it would amaze everyone.

The portrait is one of the most curious art forms. It demands special qualities in the artist, and an almost total kinship with the model.

The use of expressive colors is felt to be one of the basic elements of the modern mentality, an historical necessity, beyond choice.

Simple colours can affect the intimate feelings with all the more force because they are simple.