"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything"

In this quote, Gustave Flaubert recommends that artists who pursue perfection in all aspects of their work are ultimately unable to accomplish it. This might be analyzed as a commentary on the futility of perfectionism, along with the idea that true perfection is unattainable. Flaubert might likewise be implying that artists who are too focused on excellence may lose out on the beauty and flaws that make their work special and authentic. This quote acts as a pointer to embrace flaw and to discover appeal in the flaws, rather than continuously pursuing an unattainable ideal.