"The only living works are those which have drained much of the author's own life into them"

This quote by Samuel Butler speaks with the idea that the most significant works of art are those that are deeply individual and reflective of the artist's own life experiences. It suggests that the most powerful masterpieces are those that are created from a location of vulnerability and sincerity, and that the artist has actually poured their own life and feelings into the work. This quote suggests that the most successful masterpieces are those that are deeply personal and that the artist has actually invested a lot of themselves into the work. It suggests that the most meaningful artworks are those that are created from a location of credibility which the artist has actually put a piece of themselves into the work. This quote speaks to the concept that the most powerful artworks are those that are produced from a place of truth and that the artist has actually put a part of their own life into the work.