Epigram Addressed to an Artist
written in 1787
Epigram Addressed to an Artist - meaning Summary
Paint the Devil, Not Angels
Burns gives a wry, practical injunction to a painter: depict the devil rather than angels. He argues that familiar, stock figures are easy to render, while truly new or unfamiliar faces are harder to capture convincingly. The short epigram uses humor to make a point about artistic truth and the limits of idealization, suggesting that realism and originality pose greater challenges than repeating conventional, well-known types.
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