AI overview
Artistic inspiration is a psychological experience where ideas, emotions, or creative impulses suddenly emerge and motivate an artist to create work. It matters because it helps explain how artists generate original ideas and find the motivation to express themselves through their chosen medium.
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Book illustration of Byzantine Emperor Justinian's inspiration for Hagia Sophia. The cathedral had burnt down during a riot; now Justinian would build an even more beautiful one. A webcomic of Pepper&Carrot illustrating how inspiration may vary over time
Inspiration (from the Latin inspirare, meaning "to breathe into") is a burst of creativity in a literary, musical, or visual art and other artistic endeavours without thinking. The concept has origins in both Hellenism and Hebraism. The Greeks believed that inspiration or "enthusiasm" came from the muses, as well as the gods Apollo and Dionysus. Similarly, in the Ancient Norse religions, inspiration derives from the gods, such as Odin. Inspiration is also a divine matter in Hebrew poetics. In the Book of Amos the prophet speaks of being overwhelmed by God's voice and compelled to speak. In Christianity, inspiration is a gift of the Holy Spirit.