Karl Philipp Moritz

“When I see a beautiful object, I am not supposed to ask what I can use it for.”

“In the contemplation of the beautiful I am relieved of my individuality, I am one with what I contemplate.”

“The beautiful is that which is complete in itself.”

“A work of art is a self-contained world.”

“The purpose is not outside of, but within the thing itself.”

“In a work of art, no part can be removed or altered without destroying the whole.”

“To be noble is to be good for its own sake, without any secondary purpose.”

“The more a thing is beautiful for its own sake, the more it contributes to the happiness of the whole.”