Who said “Opera, next to Gothic architecture, is one of the strangest inventions of Western man.…”?

Verified

Kenneth Clark. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceCivilisation (1969)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Opera, next to Gothic architecture, is one of the strangest inventions of Western man. It could not have been foreseen by any logical process.”
VerifiedCivilisation (1969) · evidenceOpera

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Civilisation (1969).

APA

Clark, K. (n.d.). Opera, next to Gothic architecture, is one of the strangest inventions of Western man. It could not have been foreseen by any logical process. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/31403-opera-next-to-gothic-architecture-is-one-of/

MLA

Clark, Kenneth. “Opera, next to Gothic architecture, is one of the strangest inventions of Western man. It could not have been foreseen by any logical process.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/31403-opera-next-to-gothic-architecture-is-one-of/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Clark, Kenneth. “Opera, next to Gothic architecture, is one of the strangest inventions of Western man. It could not have been foreseen by any logical process.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/31403-opera-next-to-gothic-architecture-is-one-of/.