The Energies of Art: Studies of Authors Classic and Modern (1956)
“
The greatest artists have never been men of taste. By never sophisticating their instincts they have never lost the awareness of the great simplicities, which they relish both from appetite and from the challenge these offer to skill in competition with popular art.
— Jacques Barzun
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The greatest artists have never been men of taste. By never sophisticating their instincts they have never lost the awareness of the great simplicities, which they relish both from appetite and from the challenge these offer to skill in competition with popular art." in the context of "The Energies of Art: Studies of Authors Classic and Modern (1956)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Jacques Barzun" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Jacques Barzun
Jacques Barzun (November 30, 1907 – October 25, 2012) was a French-born American scholar, historian, critic, teacher and editor.
About Jacques Barzun
Jacques Barzun (November 30, 1907 – October 25, 2012) was a French-born American scholar, historian, critic, teacher and editor.
View all quotes →