It reflects no great honor on a painter to be able to execute one thing well.

If on your own or by the criticism of others you discover error in your work, correct it then and there; otherwise in exposing your work to the public, you will expose your error also.

Men born in hot countries love the night because it refreshes them and have a horror of light because it burns them.

The variety of color in objects cannot be discerned at a great distance, excepting in those parts which are directly lighted up by the solar rays.

To speak ill of a good person is not truly good, all in all.

A single and distinct luminous body causes stronger relief in the objects than a diffused light; as may be seen by comparing one side of a landscape illuminated by the sun, and one overshadowed by clouds, and illuminated only by the diffused light of the atmosphere.

Nothing is more apt to deceive us than our own judgment of our work. We derive more benefit from having our faults pointed out by our enemies than from hearing the opinions of friends.

Oh! how foul a thing, that we should see the tongue of one animal in the guts of another.

Ask counsel of him who rules himself well.

Love shows itself more in adversity than in prosperity; as light does, which shines most where the place is darkest.