"I have no friend. I must live alone. I know that I am closer to God than other artists; I commune with Him in my art."

"The day will come when I shall be able to speak to God without an interpreter."

"Freedom, progress is the goal in the world of art as in general."

"O, you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn, or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me."

"There ought to be but one large art warehouse in the world, to which the artist could carry his art-works, and from which he could carry away whatever he needed. As it is, one must be half a tradesman…"