“A man should not embrace the profession of an artist before having discovered inside of himself a passionate love of nature and willingness to follow it with unfailing perseverance. He should not seek approval or money. Nor should he be put off by the objections his works might arouse: let him barricade himself behind the walls of his convictions and let himself carried ever further, defying any obstacle. His ought to be an unceasing work either in the execution or the observation of nature. An invulnerable conscience.”
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
1796 – 1875