Edgar Degas

I work like a miner in a tunnel, without seeing the end.

Color is my obsession.

The human figure is the most difficult to render.

Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work.

I am not a modernist; I am a classicist.

Life without art is meaningless.

The eye must see before the hand draws.

Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise.

I love the old masters, but I paint in my own way.

The dancer is the soul of the ballet.

Art requires discipline more than talent.

I seek truth in form.

The modern world is ugly, but art can redeem it.

Patience is the artist's greatest virtue.

I paint what I feel, not what I see.

The essence of art is simplicity.

Women in their moments of grace are the epitome of beauty.

To draw, you must close your eyes and sing.

Art is eternal, but the artist is not.