"And then I went round the corner and there's a Van Gogh portrait, and you just think, well, this is another level. A higher level, actually. I love the Sargent, but it's not the level of Van Gogh"

This quote by David Hockney speaks to the power of art and the effect it can have on the viewer. He is comparing the work of 2 terrific artists, John Singer Sargent and Vincent Van Gogh. He is saying that while he enjoys the work of Sargent, it does not reach the exact same level of emotion and power as the work of Van Gogh. He is recommending that when he saw the Van Gogh picture, he was required to a greater level of gratitude and understanding of art. He is suggesting that Van Gogh's work is more powerful and evocative than Sargent's. This quote speaks with the power of art and how it can move us and take us to a greater level of understanding and gratitude. It is a pointer of the importance of art and how it can impact us in ways that words can not.