“There science is dealing with physical facts, in art we are dealing with psychic effects. With this I come to my first statement: 'The source of art – that is, where it comes from – is the discrepancy between physical fact and psychic effect'. That's what I'm talking about. When I want to speak about why I am doing the same thing now, which is squares, for – how long? – 19 years. Because there is no final solution in any visual formulation. Although this may be just a belief on my part, I have some assurances that that is not the most stupid thing to do, through Cezanne whom I consider as one of the greatest painters. From Cézanne we have, so the historians tell us – 250 paintings of Mont St. Victoire. But we know that Cézanne has left in the fields often more than he took home because he was disappointed with his work. So we may conclude he did many more than 250 of the same problem.”

—  Josef Albers

Homage to the square' (1964), Oral history interview with Josef Albers' (1968)

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Josef Albers 33
German-American artist and educator 1888–1976

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“The concern of the artist is with the discrepancy between physical fact and psychological effect.”

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“I am glad I have that artistic life in me... [I'm] a nobody in my field of art... I don't overestimate myself at all, and that's why I can't get that comfort from my work [landscape painting], which the Great [artists] have in their field of art. What else to say! 50 years after my death!! I laughed about it. Do you think they will remember me after only one year? [after her death] Dear heaven! No, that is really my least concern.”

Marie Bilders-van Bosse (1837–1900) painter from the Netherlands

translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek
version in original Dutch (citaat uit een brief van Marie Bilders-van Bosse, in het Nederlands:) Ik ben blij dat ik dat artistieke leven in mij heb.. ..[ik ben] een prul op mijn gebied.. ..Ik overschat mijzelven niemendal, en daarom kan ik uit mijn werk [landschap-schilderen] niet dien troost putten die de Grooten op een gebied daaruit halen. En verder! 50 jaar na mijn dood!! Ik heb er om gelachen. Denk je dat ze één jaar daarna nog aan mij zullen denken? Lieve hemel! Nee, dat is mijn minste zorg.
Quote from Marie Bilders-van Bosse in her letter from The Hague, 29 March 1896, to her friend Cornelia M. Beaujon-van Foreest; as cited in Marie Bilders-van Bosse 1837-1900 – Een Leven voor Kunst en Vriendschap, Ingelies Vermeulen & Ton Pelkmans; Kontrast ( ISBN 978-90-78215-54-7), 2008, p. 29
Marie wrote her letter shortly after a quarrel with her friend Cornelia

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