Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Benjamin Haydon (English Painter)

Benjamin Robert Haydon (1786–1846) was a historical painter and writer. He is best known for his large historical paintings and his masterpiece of self-revealing Romantic autobiography.

Born in Plymouth, Haydon went to London to attend the Royal Academy schools. He exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy in 1807, but due to subsequent quarrels, most of his later paintings were shown at private exhibitions.

Haydon had a grand ambition to establish himself as England’s most significant historical painter, and he pursued it by creating a series of rigidly heroic canvases depicting biblical and classical subjects. Some of his notable works include The Death of Dentatus (1809,) The Judgment of Solomon (1814,) Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem (1820,) and The Raising of Lazarus (1823.) While these paintings were serious, Haydon also demonstrated a sense of humor in his depictions of contemporary English scenes, such as Mock Election (1827) and Punch or May Day (1829.) Additionally, he showcased his artistic versatility through insightful character studies, like his portrait of Wordsworth (1842.)

Haydon was a controversial figure known for his outspokenness and willingness to take on powerful adversaries. However, despite his considerable talent, he faced financial struggles throughout his career, eventually leading him into deep debt. After years of disappointment in his artistic pursuits, financial difficulties, and a decline in his mental health, he tragically ended his own life in 1846.

Haydon chronicled the tumultuous trajectory of his career in his Autobiography and Journals (1853,) which included a selection from his journals covering the later years of his life. The complete text of his diary was later published 1960–63. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Haydon played a crucial role in securing the Elgin Marbles for the British Museum, thanks in part to his passionate advocacy. He was also a trailblazer in art education, industrial design, and state patronage of the arts. His groundbreaking theories on these subjects were articulated in his Lectures on Painting and Design (1846,) which significantly influenced subsequent artistic and cultural movements.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Benjamin Haydon

The first proof of a person’s incapacity to achieve, is their endeavoring to fix the stigma of failure on others.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Loss, Losers, Losing

Men who have reached and passed forty-five, have a look as if waiting for the secret of the other world, and as if they were perfectly sure of having found out the secret of this.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Age, Aging

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.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Taste, Style

The great difficulty is first to win a reputation; the next to keep it while you live; and the next to preserve it after you die, when affection and interest are over, and nothing but sterling excellence can preserve your name. Never suffer youth to be an excuse for inadequacy, nor age and fame to be an excuse for indolence.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Reputation

The longer a man lives in this world the more he must be convinced that all domestic quarrels had better never be obtruded on the public; for, let the husband be right, or let him be wrong, there is always a sympathy existing for women which is certain to give the man the worst of it.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Fighting, Fight, Quarrels

Nothing is so envied as genius, nothing so hopeless of attainment by labor alone. Though labor always accompanies the greatest genius, without the intellectual gift labor alone will do little.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Genius

Religion and education are no match for evil without the grace of God.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Mercy

The only legitimate artists in England are the architects.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Architecture

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Joy, Entrepreneurs, Success, Happiness

Love and death are the two great hinges on which all human sympathies turn.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Sympathy

Art is a reality, not a definition; inasmuch as it approaches a reality, it approaches perfection, and inasmuch as it approaches a mere definition, it is imperfect and untrue.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Artists, Arts, Art

Beware of the beginnings of vice.—Do not delude yourself with the belief that it can be argued against in the presence of the exciting cause.—Nothing but actual flight can save you.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Vice

Nothing is difficult, it is only we who are indolent.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Difficulties

When a man is no longer anxious to do better than well, he is done for.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Quality

There surely is in human nature an inherent propensity to extract all the good out of all the evil.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Evil

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” Encyclopedias, “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.
—Benjamin Haydon
Topics: Learning

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