Thinking question: what does this quote mean to you?

Question

"where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art"

-leonardo da vinci

just want to know your opinion/ perspective on this quote and how is it relates to you.

Answer 1

True art occurs as the melding of imagination, skill and desire. It's the reverse of the saying "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." which one can take to mean that the idea and the desire are present but the capability to execute is lacking. I think the great Leonardo meant that work that is not driven by the spark of creative genius is just ordinary craftman's artisanry and will have no enduring merit.

Answer 2

I believe that he maybe referring to what spirituality refers to as "putting your soul into your work."

If you don't do something you don't love, then it fails to be a masterpiece, as far as I can tell from the quote.

Very enlightening, I think.

Answer 3

Anything can be "written" or "drawn" with your hand, but if you are not concentrating on the meaning of what you are creating, then it could have been done by anyone.   Anything you do with feeling, meaning, being involved, etc., whether anyone else approves or not, becomes art.