Ch. II. To the artist, all in nature is beautiful, p. 46
“
Now, to the great artist, everything in nature has character; for the unswerving directness of his observation searches out the hidden meaning of all things. And that which is considered ugly in nature often presents more character than that which is termed beautiful, because in the contractions of a sickly countenance, in the lines of a vicious face, in all deformity, in all decay, the inner truth shines forth more clearly than in features that are regular and healthy.
— Auguste Rodin
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Now, to the great artist, everything in nature has character; for the unswerving directness of his observation searches out the hidden meaning of all things. And that which is considered ugly in nature often presents more character than that which is termed beautiful, because in the contractions of a sickly countenance, in the lines of a vicious face, in all deformity, in all decay, the inner truth shines forth more clearly than in features that are regular and healthy." in the context of "Ch. II. To the artist, all in nature is beautiful, p. 46" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Auguste Rodin" (Quotes, 1910s, Art, 1912: Auguste Rodin and Paul Gsell. Art, Publisher Boston, Small, Maynard & Co, 1912. Translated by Mrs. Romilly Fedden.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin (12 November 1840 – 17 November 1917) was a French sculptor, and the preeminent sculptor of the modern era. He played a pivotal role in the art of the late nineteenth century, both excelling at and rebelling against the Beaux-Arts tradition.
About Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin (12 November 1840 – 17 November 1917) was a French sculptor, and the preeminent sculptor of the modern era. He played a pivotal role in the art of the late nineteenth century, both excelling at and rebelling against the Beaux-Arts tradition.
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