“Modern paintings are like women, you'll never enjoy them if you try to understand them. ”

Last update May 21, 2026. History

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Freddie Mercury29

British singer, songwriter and record producer 1946–1991

Freddie Mercury quote: “Modern paintings are like women, you'll never enjoy them if you try to understand them. ”

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A very similar remark was attributed to Nancy Reagan, in The Observer (29 March 1981): "A woman is like a teabag — only in hot water do you realize how strong she is."
Variants:
A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.
A woman is like a tea bag, you can not tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.
A woman is like a tea bag; you can't tell how strong she is and how much to trust her until you put her in hot water.
Disputed