Were I called on to define, very briefly, the term Art, I should

Yes — that quote is correctly attributed to Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), the American poet, critic, and short story writer.

“Were I called on to define, very briefly, the term Art, I should call it ‘the reproduction of what the Senses perceive in Nature through the veil of the soul.’ The mere imitation, however accurate, of what is in Nature, entitles no man to the sacred name of ‘Artist.’”
— Edgar Allan Poe

Context and Background

This quote comes from one of Poe’s critical essays, where he explores the nature and philosophy of art and artistic creation. Poe was not only a writer of fiction and poetry but also a literary theorist, deeply concerned with the difference between mechanical imitation and true artistic inspiration.

Here, he distinguishes between mere realism — the simple copying of external appearances — and artistic interpretation, which transforms perception through the filter of the soul, imagination, and emotion.

Interpretation

• “Reproduction of what the Senses perceive in Nature” — art begins with observation and sensory experience.

• “Through the veil of the soul” — true art is filtered through the artist’s inner life: their feelings, vision, and individuality.

• “The mere imitation… entitles no man to the sacred name of ‘Artist’” — imitation alone, however precise, lacks the depth and spiritual essence that defines real artistry.

Summary

Poe’s definition elevates art from mimicry to transcendence. For him, the Artist is not a copyist but a visionary interpreter of reality — someone who transforms nature through imagination, revealing its beauty and mystery in a new and soulful way.

This quote perfectly encapsulates Poe’s Romantic aesthetic, where emotion, perception, and creativity merge to form the essence of art.