The Artist’s Apotheosis

You exercise the innate strength,
To express yourself comfortably with a quick hand;
…But you exercise your hand,
You exercise your gaze, now exercise your mind too!
Even the most fortunate genius will scarcely succeed
To rise to the extraordinary through nature and instinct alone:
Art remains art! Anyone who has not thought it through
Cannot call themselves an artist;
Here, talent is of no help; before you can achieve something great,
You must thoroughly master it.

Goethe (from The Artist’s Apotheosis)