Who said “Every artist was first an amateur.”?

Verified

Ralph Waldo Emerson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetters and Social Aims (1876)

Find Letters and Social Aims on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letters and Social Aims (1876).

APA

Emerson, R. W. (n.d.). Every artist was first an amateur. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/7254-every-artist-was-first-an-amateur/

MLA

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Every artist was first an amateur.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/7254-every-artist-was-first-an-amateur/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Every artist was first an amateur.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/7254-every-artist-was-first-an-amateur/.

Related quotes

More quotes by Emerson

All 693 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes →