"Because talent is scarce. Intelligence is also in short supply. Education is not enough to be an artist. It all requires a destiny that cannot be misunderstood and cannot be altered by any human power or will. In every genre there are many talented people who, in fortunate moments, by the effort of their talent, their deepening, their seriousness, end up creating something useful, sometimes rare and beautiful. This is how world literature, or painting, or music as a whole, is put together as a work of art. But these men are not creators, only executors; for they have no destiny. And if they happen to stray into a medical or engineering career, they will still create something talented and useful. But the artist, the real one, cannot "err" into any career, and there is no historical or situational force that can divert him from his task; he can be no other than a writer or a painter or a musician. He who is thus an artist is doomed. That is the maximum.
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Author
Márai SándorAll Translations
All Translations
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Because talent is scarce. Intelligence is also in short supply. Education is not enough to be an artist. It all requires a destiny that cannot be misunderstood and cannot be altered by any human power or will. In every genre there are many talented people who, in fortunate moments, by the effort of their talent, their deepening, their seriousness, end up creating something useful, sometimes rare and beautiful. This is how world literature, or painting, or music as a whole, is put together as a work of art. But these men are not creators, only executors; for they have no destiny. And if they happen to stray into a medical or engineering career, they will still create something talented and useful. But the artist, the real one, cannot "err" into any career, and there is no historical or situational force that can divert him from his task; he can be no other than a writer or a painter or a musician. He who is thus an artist is doomed. That is the maximum.
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Mert a tehetség kevés. Az értelem is kevés. A műveltség is kevés ahhoz, hogy valaki művész legyen. Mindehhez végzet kell, melyet nem lehet félreérteni, s melyet semmiféle emberi erő vagy szándék nem tud megmásítani. Minden műfajban sok a tehetséges ember, akik szerencsés pillanatokban, tehetségük, elmélyülésük, komolyságuk erőfeszítésével végül is hasznosat, néha ritkát és gyönyörűt alkotnak. Így áll össze műnek a világirodalom vagy a festészet, a zene egésze. De ezek az emberek nem alkotók, csak végrehajtók; mert nincs végzetük. S ha véletlenül orvosi vagy mérnöki pályára tévednek, akkor is tehetségeset és hasznosat alkotnak majd. De a művész, az igazi, nem „tévedhet" semmiféle pályára, s nincs olyan történelmi vagy helyzeti erő, mely eltéríthetné feladatától; nem lehet más, csak író vagy festő, vagy zenész. Aki így művész, annak végzete van. Ez a legtöbb.
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Pentru că talentul este rar. Inteligența este, de asemenea, puțin disponibilă. Educația nu este suficientă pentru a fi artist. Totul presupune un destin care nu poate fi înțeles greșit și nu poate fi modificat de nicio putere sau voință umană. În orice gen există mulți oameni talentați care, în momente norocoase, prin efortul talentului lor, al aprofundării lor, al seriozității lor, ajung să creeze ceva util, uneori rar și frumos. Așa se alcătuiește literatura universală, sau pictura, sau muzica în ansamblul ei, ca operă de artă. Dar acești oameni nu sunt creatori, ci doar executanți, pentru că ei nu au un destin. Și dacă se întâmplă să se rătăcească într-o carieră medicală sau inginerească, tot vor crea ceva talentat și util. Dar artistul, cel adevărat, nu poate "greși" în nicio carieră și nu există nicio forță istorică sau situațională care să îl poată abate de la sarcina sa; el nu poate fi decât un scriitor, un pictor sau un muzician. Cel care este astfel un artist este condamnat. Asta este cel mai mult.
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