Who said “The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the…”?

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Salvador Dali. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceQuote from Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp (1987) by Pierre Cabanne, in a preface written by Dalí in January 1968 and translated by Albert Field, p. 13

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“The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.”
— Salvador Dali
VerifiedQuote from Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp (1987) by Pierre Cabanne, in a preface written by Dalí in January 1968 and translated by Albert Field, p. 13 · evidenceOriginality

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Quote from Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp (1987) by Pierre Cabanne, in a preface written by Dalí in January 1968 and translated by Albert Field, p. 13.

APA

Dali, S. (n.d.). The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27892-the-first-man-to-compare-the-cheeks-of/

MLA

Dali, Salvador. “The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27892-the-first-man-to-compare-the-cheeks-of/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Dali, Salvador. “The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27892-the-first-man-to-compare-the-cheeks-of/.

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More quotes by Salvador Dali

“The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.”
VerifiedQuote from Tiny Surrealism: Salvador Dalí and the Aesthetics of the Small, Roger Rothman, 2012 UNP-Nebraska. · evidenceDetails & citeMemory
“Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to sublimate them.”
VerifiedDiary of a Genius (1964) · evidenceDetails & citeMistakes
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