"I'm never finished with my paintings; the further I get, the more I seek the impossible and the more powerless I feel."

"The motif is secondary; what I want to capture is what there is between the motif and myself."

"I was flattered by your two letters, as I have the deepest admiration for Japanese art and a great liking for the Japanese people […]. It is with the greatest pleasure that I received your pretty prin…"

"The motif is insignificant for me; what I want to reproduce is what exists between the motif and me."

"I am working very hard, struggling with a series of different effects, but at this time of year the sun sets so fast that I cannot keep up with it."