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Henry James Quotes about Art

In art economy is always beauty.

The Altar of the Dead preface (1909)

Art is nothing more than the shadow of humanity.

Henry James (1852). “Lectures and miscellanies”, p.124

Criticism talks a good deal of nonsense, but even its nonsense is a useful force. It keeps the question of art before the world, insists upon its importance.

Henry James, John L. Sweeney (1956). “The Painter's Eye: Notes and Essays on the Pictorial Arts”, p.10, Univ of Wisconsin Press

Art without life is a poor affair.

Henry James, James Edwin Miller (1972). “Theory of fiction: Henry James”

Art requires, above all things, a suppression of self, a subordination of one's self to an idea.

Henry James (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry James (Illustrated)”, p.13602, Delphi Classics

Nothing, of course, will ever take the place of the good old fashion of 'liking' a work of art or not liking it; the more improved criticism will not abolish that primitive, that ultimate, test.

Henry James, William Veeder, Susan M. Griffin (1986). “The Art of Criticism: Henry James on the Theory and the Practice of Fiction”, p.176, University of Chicago Press

The practice of "reviewing"... in general has nothing in common with the art of criticism.

Henry James, William Veeder, Susan M. Griffin (1986). “The Art of Criticism: Henry James on the Theory and the Practice of Fiction”, p.232, University of Chicago Press