The Art Spirit

The teaching notes of the American painter Robert Henri, compiled by his student Margery Ryerson from his classroom talks and letters — aphorisms and instruction on seeing, on working, and on why the point of making art is the state of attention it demands rather than the object produced. It has stayed in print for a century as a book about craft generally, not only painting.

Why it’s on the list: Bold on @mastersinvest’s 2025 list, meaning the curator rated it very good rather than merely read — and the one title on the list that is not a business book.

Where I saw it: @mastersinvest’s “2025 Reading … so far” list, August 20, 2025, where it appears in bold. The full 46-title list is transcribed on 2025 Reading So Far… (tweet).

Connections

• 2025 Reading So Far… (tweet) — the list this came from.