As one of history’s greatest artists, insightful and thought-provoking Michelangelo’s quotes provide timeless wisdom. Powerful Michelangelo quotes will inspire and awaken the creative genius within you. Get ready to be inspired and motivated to unleash your fullest potential.
Best Michelangelo Quotes
If we have been pleased with life, we should not be displeased with death, since it comes from the hand of the same master. Michelangelo
If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all. Michelangelo
In every block of marble, I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it. Michelangelo
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Michelangelo
If in my youth I had realized that the sustaining splendor of beauty of with which I was in love would one day flood back into my heart, there to ignite a flame that would torture me without end, how gladly would I have put out the light in my eyes. Michaelangelo
If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn’t call it genius. Michelangelo
Only God creates. The rest of us just copy. Michelangelo
Genius is eternal patience. Michelangelo
Lord, make me see thy glory in every place. Michelangelo
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo
It is well with me only when I have a chisel in my hand. Michaelangelo
The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Michelangelo
Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish. Michaelangelo
The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material. Michelangelo
My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth’s loveliness. Michaelangelo
The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. Michelangelo
The best of artists has no conception that the marble alone does not contain within itself. Michaelangelo
Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I accomplish. Michelangelo
It is necessary to keep one’s compass in one’s eyes and not in the hand, for the hands execute, but the eye judges. Michaelangelo
Critique by creating. Michelangelo
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Michaelangelo
The greatest artist does not have any concept Which a single piece of marble does not itself contain Within its excess, though only A hand that obeys the intellect can discover it. Michelangelo
Many believe and I believe that I have been designated for this work by God. In spite of my old age, I do not want to give it up. I work out of love for God and I put all my hope in Him. Michaelangelo
If I am more alive because love burns and chars me, as a fire, given wood or wind, feels new elation, it’s that he who lays me low is my salvation, and invigorates the more, the more he scars me. Michelangelo
Your greatness is measured by your horizons. Michelangelo
It is necessary to keep one’s compass in one’s eyes and not in the hand, for the hands execute, but the eye judges. Michelangelo
Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle. Michaelangelo
A man paints with his brains and not with his hands. Michelangelo
There is no greater harm than that of time wasted. Michaelangelo
With few words I shall make thee understand my soul. Michelangelo
The idea is there locked inside. All you have to do is remove the excess stone. Michelangelo
I am still learning. Michelangelo
The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has. Michaelangelo
Dear to me is sleep still more, being made of stone, While pain and guilt still linger here below, Blindness and numbness these please me alone; Then do not wake me, keep your voices low. Michelangelo
To know each other is the best way to understand each other. To understand each other is the only way to love each other. Michelangelo
Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. Michelangelo
True painting is only the image of the perfection of God, a shadow of the pencil with which he paints, a melody, a striving after harmony. Michelangelo
Read the heart and not the letter for the pen cannot draw near the good intent. Michelangelo
Your gifts lie in the place where your values, passions and strengths meet. Discovering that place is the first step toward sculpting your masterpiece, Your Life. Michelangelo
Draw, Antonio; draw, Antonio; draw and don’t waste time. Michelangelo
The promises of this world are, for the most part, vain phantoms; and to confide in one’s self, and become something of worth and value is the best and safest course. Michaelangelo
Beauty is the purgation of superfluities. Michelangelo
What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is nobler than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed? Michelangelo
Death and love are the two wings that bear the good man to heaven. Michelangelo
If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all. Michelangelo
Why do You Send Fools To judge My Work? Michelangelo
Dear to me is sleep still more, being made of stone, while pain and guilt still linger here below, blindness and numbness these please me alone; Then do not wake me, keep your voices low. Michelangelo
What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed? Michelangelo
As you give out so shall you receive. Michelangelo
No thought is born in me that does not bear the image of death. Michelangelo
Critique by creating. Michelangelo
Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle. Michelangelo
It is well with me only when I have a chisel in my hand. Michelangelo
I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop. Michelangelo
Self negation is noble, self culture is beneficent, self possession is manly, but to the truly great and inspiring soul they are poor and tame compared to self abuse. Michelangelo
Please don’t trouble yourself. God didn’t make us to abandon us. Michelangelo
Where I lack words I shall supply with deeds. Michelangelo
Believe it or not, I can actually draw. Michelangelo
The noble heart finds most in starlike eyes. Michelangelo
Bound to you as the rays are to the sun. Michelangelo
The best artist has that thought alone which is contained within the marble shell; only the sculptor’s hand can break the spell to free the figures. Michelangelo
From such a gentle thing,from such a fountain of all delight,my every pain is born. Michelangelo
Do not suffer, for God has not made us to abandon us. Michelangelo
You no longer feel the fear of a change of being and desire. The course of the hours lays not violent hands upon you; necessity and chance guide not your steps. I can hardly write without envy. Michelangelo
Attend to living, and let property go sooner than suffer discomforts, for I would rather have you alive and poor, because if you were dead, I wouldn’t care for all the gold in the world, and if those chirping crickets there in Florence or anyone else reproves you, let them talk, for they are ignorant men and without love. Michelangelo
I have never felt salvation in nature. I love cities above all. Michelangelo
Every beauty which is seen here by persons of perception resembles more than anything else that celestial source from which we all are come. Michelangelo
Self negation is noble, self culture is beneficent, self possession is manly, but to the truly great and inspiring soul they are poor and tame compared to self abuse. Michelangelo
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo
Don’t trouble yourself. God didn’t make us to abandon us. Michelangelo
Death and love are the two wings that bear the good man to heaven. Michelangelo
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo
It is necessary to have patience, trust in God, and repent one’s errors, for these adversities come from nothing other than those, and especially from pride and ingratitude. Michelangelo
I created a vision of David in my mind and simply carved away everything that was not David. Michelangelo
Attend to living; and if you can’t have the honors of the country as the other citizens do, let it suffice you to have bread and live virtuously in Christ and poorly. Michelangelo
The best artist has that thought alone which is contained within the marble shell; only the sculptor’s hand can break the spell to free the figures. Michelangelo
Your gifts lie in the place where your values, passions and strengths meet. Discovering that place is the first step toward sculpting your masterpiece, Your Life. Michelangelo
Lord free me of myself, so I can please you! Michelangelo
Take care of yourself, and watch out for those you have to watch out for, for one does not die more than once, and nobody returns to put right the things done wrong. Michelangelo
My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth’s loveliness. Michelangelo
I believe there are many poor and noble families in Florence with whom it would be a charity to become allied, even if there were no dowry, because there would also be no pride. Michelangelo
The noble heart finds most in starlike eyes. Michelangelo
Why do you send fools to judge my work? Michelangelo
Anyone who follows others never passes them by, and anyone who does not know how to do good works on his own cannot make good use of works by others. Michelangelo
The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. Michelangelo
The best of artists hath no art to show, Which the rough stone in its superfluous shell doth not include, To break the marble spell, is all the hand that serves the brain can do. Michelangelo
With few words I shall make thee understand my soul. Michelangelo
I saw an angel in the block of marble and I just chiseled until I set him free. Michelangelo
A man paints with his brains and not with his hands. Michelangelo
I know well that, at this hour, I could as easily forget your name as the food by which I live by; nay, it were easier to forget the food, which only nourishes by body miserably, than your name, which nourishes both body and soul, filling the one and the other with such sweetness that neither weariness nor fear of death is felt by me while memory preserves you to my mind. Think, if the eyes could also enjoy their portion, in what condition I should find myself. Michelangelo
Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. Michelangelo
Your greatness is measured by your horizons. Michelangelo
It is necessary to keep one ‘s compass in one ‘s eyes and not in the hand, for the hands execute, but the eye judges. Michelangelo
Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish. Michelangelo
A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it. Michelangelo
If we have been pleased with life ,we should not be displeased with death since it comes from the hand of the same master. Michelangelo
Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. Michelangelo
I am still learning. Michelangelo
Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish. Michelangelo
How wrong are those simpletons, of whom the world is full, who look more at color than at the figures which show spirit and movement. Michelangelo
Beauty is the purgation of superfluities. Michelangelo
Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza. Michelangelo
Faith in oneself is the best and safest course. Michelangelo
I’ve finished that chapel I was painting. The Pope is quite satisfied. Michelangelo
My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth’s loveliness. Michelangelo
I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin’s; my good is given to me by heaven, my evil by myself, by my free will, of which I am deprived. Michelangelo
A man paints with his brains and not with his hands. Michelangelo