Washington Allston
Washington Allston
Washington Allstonwas an American painter and poet, born in Waccamaw Parish, South Carolina. Allston pioneered America's Romantic movement of landscape painting. He was well known during his lifetime for his experiments with dramatic subject matter and his bold use of light and atmospheric color...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPainter
Date of Birth5 November 1779
CityGeorgetown, SC
CountryUnited States of America
men originality knows
No man knows himself as an original.
art tyrants mind
Reverence is an ennobling sentiment; it is felt to be degrading only by the vulgar mind, which would escape the sense of its own littleness by elevating itself into an antagonist of what is above it. He that has no pleasure in looking up is not fit so much as to look down. Of such minds are mannerists in Art; in the world, tyrants of all sorts.
ambition shining ability
I have no ambition to shine beyond my abilities.
home injustice
Injustice allowed at home is not likely to be corrected abroad.
lying thinking traveler
I am inclined to think from my own experience that the difficulty to eminence lies not in the road, but in the timidity of the traveler.
degrees
In the same degree that we overrate ourselves, we shall underrate others.
gains made painter
The love of gain never made a painter; but it has marred many.
humility healing pride
Humility is also a healing virtue; it will cicatrize a thousand wounds, which pride would keep forever open.
people trying faster
Nothing gets you behind faster than trying to keep up with people who are already there.
art judging works-of-art
Never judge a work of art by its defects.
ignorance world able
If I prove extravagant, I shall be more so from ignorance than willfulness. I am not wholly insensible to the pleasures of the world, therefore shall not be governed entirely by necessity; but I flatter myself, at least, in being able to restrain their gratification within due bonds.
mind distinction objects
Distinction is the consequence, never the object of a great mind.
wise men competition
The only competition worthy of a wise man is with himself.
lying peculiar half
The most intangible, and therefore the worst, kind of a lie is a half truth. This is the peculiar device of a conscientious detractor.