“Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it.”
- March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890
- Dutch
- Painter, Post-Impressionist Artist, Pioneer of Modern Art
table of contents
Quote
“Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it.”
Explanation
This quote expresses the tension between inspiration and expression—the ease with which beauty and meaning can be perceived in the world, and the challenge of translating that perception into art. Van Gogh reminds us that while life is rich with poetic moments—found in nature, people, and everyday experience—capturing that essence in words or images requires tremendous effort, skill, and vulnerability.
Van Gogh often saw the world through a poetic lens. His letters and paintings reflect an intense awareness of beauty, pain, and human emotion. Yet he struggled to render those feelings into form, frequently expressing frustration with the gap between what he felt and what he could produce. This quote conveys the humility of a true artist: the recognition that inspiration is abundant, but expression is hard-won.
For creators today, this quote is both comforting and challenging. It acknowledges that the difficulty of expressing beauty doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying—in fact, it’s precisely that struggle that gives art its value. Van Gogh encourages us to keep looking, feeling, and striving, even when the translation from experience to creation feels elusive—because it’s in the effort to capture life’s poetry that art is born.
Would you like to share your impressions or related stories about this quote in the comments section?
