When I am finishing a picture, I hold some God-made object up to it - a rock, a flower, the branch of a tree or my hand - as a final test. If the painting stands up beside a thing man cannot make, the painting is authentic. If there's a clash between the two, it's bad art.

Summary

This quote by Marc Chagall highlights his approach to creating authentic art. He emphasizes that a painting should be put to the test by comparing it to something natural and uncreated by humans, such as a rock, flower, tree branch, or even the artist's own hand. If the painting harmonizes with the beauty and uniqueness of these God-made objects, it is deemed genuine. However, if there is a conflict between the painting and the natural object, it is considered to be lacking artistic integrity and quality. Chagall's perspective encourages artists to seek inspiration from nature and strive for a true representation of its inherent beauty in their work.