There is but one Paris and however hard living may be here, and if it became worse and harder even—the French air clears up the brain and does good—a world of good.

I assure you that there's a lot involved in compositions with figures. ... It's like weaving... you must control and keep an eye on several things at once.

My aim in life is to make pictures and drawings, as many and as well as I can; then, at the end of my life... looking back with love and tender regret, and thinking, 'Oh, the pictures I might have made!'

Don't lose heart if it's very difficult at times, everything will come out all right and nobody can in the beginning do as he wishes.

But you people do not understand me, and I am afraid you never will.

...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?

To stick to the present and not let it pass without drawing some profit from it, that's what I think duty is. ...let us perservere as far as we can rather today than tomorrow.