Painting with all its technicalities, difficulties, and peculiar ends, is nothing but a noble and expressive language, invaluable as the vehicle of thought, but by itself nothing.

If it is the love of that which your work represents--if, being a landscape painter, it is love of hills and trees that moves you--if, being a figure painter, it is love of human beauty, and human soul that moves you--if, being a flower or animal painter, it is love, and wonder, and delight in petal and in limb that move you, then the Spirit is upon you, and the earth is yours, and the fullness thereof.

I have not written in vain if I have heretofore done anything towards diminishing the reputation of the Renaissance landscape painting.

Hard features every bungler can command: To draw true beauty shows a master's hand.

I had completely forgotten about the painting,

After this series, he really stopped painting.