"Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal"

To understand the difference between borrowing and stealing in the realm of art, one must consider the depth of engagement an artist has with their sources. The idea articulated by Stravinsky suggests that all artists are inevitably influenced by predecessors, but the manner in which they incorporate these influences distinguishes the ordinary from the exceptional.

When a lesser artist borrows, there is typically an element of superficiality. Borrowing might mean taking a motif, a melody, a style, or an idea and using it within one’s own work, often with minimal transformation. The original reference remains evident; the mark of the predecessor is visible, and the borrowed element may sit uneasily within its new context. This approach often results in pastiche, imitation, or derivation, signaling an artistic deference rather than innovation.

Great artists, by contrast, do not merely adopt the trappings of another’s work; they absorb them so completely that the origin becomes almost untraceable. To "steal" in this context implies a kind of creative assimilation. The source material is internalized, refashioned, and reborn as something wholly new, bearing the unique imprint of its appropriator. This act of transformation elevates the borrowed element, integrating it seamlessly within an original vision.

Stravinsky’s insight also speaks to the audacity and confidence required in great artistry. Stealing, in this sense, is a bold act, it claims ownership over the borrowed and asserts one’s artistic authority. The result is not homage, but innovation. Through this process, traditions are not just perpetuated; they are revitalized, broken, and transcended.

Art thus becomes a continuum, a dialogic interplay where influences are not merely repeated, but transmuted. While lesser artists pay tribute, great artists expand the boundaries, making what was once another’s inspiration indistinguishably their own. The mark of greatness, then, lies in this creative alchemy, where theft turns imitation into originality.