Benjamin Haydon
Benjamin Haydon
Benjamin Robert Haydonwas an English painter who specialised in grand historical pictures, although he also painted a few contemporary subjects and portraits. His commercial success was damaged by his often tactless dealings with patrons, and by the enormous scale on which he preferred to work. He was troubled by financial problems throughout his life, which led to several periods of imprisonment for debt. He committed suicide in 1846...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionArtist
Date of Birth26 January 1786
Benjamin Haydon quotes about
believe mercy-of-god justice
It is highly convenient to believe in the infinite mercy of God when you feel the need of mercy, but remember also his infinite justice.
mind serious prejudice
Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.
animal essence class
This is an age of intellectual sauces, of essence, of distillation. We have conclusions without deductions, abridgments of history and abridgments of science without leading facts. We have animals for literature, Cabinet Encyclopaedias, Family Libraries, Diffusion Societies, and heaven knows what else! What is all this for? Not to add knowledge to the learned, but to tell points to the ignorant, without giving them the trouble to acquire the links. Oh! it is sad work. And the result will be injurious to all classes.
artist england architecture
The only legitimate artists in England are the architects.
self-improvement principles improving-yourself
The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself.
temperance
Temperance in everything is requisite for happiness.
men feelings looks
One of the surest evidences of an elevated taste is the power of enjoying works of impassioned terrorism, in poetry, and painting. The man who can look at impassioned subjects of terror with a feeling of exultation may be certain he has an elevated taste.
confusion newton mathematics
Newton's health, and confusion to mathematics.
fighting men people
The explanation of the propensity of the English people to portrait painting is to be found in their relish for a Fact. Let a man do the grandest things, fight the greatest battles, or be distinguished by the most brilliant personal heroism, yet the English people would prefer his portrait to a painting of the great deed. The likeness they can judge of; his existence is a Fact. But the truth of the picture of his deeds they cannot judge of, for they have no imagination.
ordinary genius done
Genius is nothing more than common faculties refined to a greater intensity. There are no astonishing ways of doing astonishing things. All astonishing things are done by ordinary materials.
genius poverty never-fear
Genius in poverty is never feared, because nature, though liberal in her gifts in one instance, is forgetful in another.
men genius alive
Men of genius are often considered superstitious, but the fact is, the fineness of their nerve renders them more alive to the supernatural than ordinary men.
swerve duty consequence
Do your duty, and don't swerve from it. Do that which your conscience tells you to be right, and leave the consequences to God.
believe men doe
How difficult it is to get men to believe that any other man can or does act from disinterestedness!