It is sometimes said that the tragedy of an artist's life is that he cannot realise his ideal. But the true tragedy that dogs the steps of most artists is that they realise their ideal too absolutely. For, when the ideal is realised, it is robbed of its wonder and its mystery, and becomes simply a new starting-point for an ideal that is other than itself.

Summary

This quote suggests that artists often face a twofold tragedy. The first tragedy is the inability to fully bring their ideal vision to life. However, the more significant tragedy is the realization of that vision, which strips it of its awe and enigma. Once the ideal is actualized, it loses its essence and becomes merely a stepping stone towards a new and different ideal. In essence, this captures the never-ending pursuit of perfection for artists, where the attainment of one ideal leads to the birth of another, leaving them in a constant cycle of longing.

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