Let the painter composing narrative pictures take pleasure in wealth and variety, and avoid repeating any part that occurs in it, so that the uniqueness and abundance attract people to it and delight the eye of the observer. I say that a narrative painting requires (depending on the scene), wherever the eye falls, a mixture of men of diverse appearances, of diverse ages and dress, combined together with women, children, dogs, horses, buildings, fields, and hills.

Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.

Obstacles cannot bend me. Every obstacle yields to effort.

Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose

Supreme happiness will be the greatest cause of misery, and the perfection of wisdom the occassion of folly.

Whoever does not respect life, does not deserve it.

It is better to imitate ancient than modern work.