Getretener Quark wird breit, nicht stark. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe | Printable Wall Art

“Getretener Quark wird breit, nicht stark.”
“Trodden curd spreads wide, not strong.”

Words by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) — German poet, novelist, and statesman.

About this quote

Stepping on soft curd does not make it firm; it simply spreads the mess further. Goethe uses this vivid image to show that hammering away at a weak argument or trivial matter does not give it substance. Instead of making a poor idea stronger or more valid, endless criticism or repeated debate merely expands the nonsense and gives it unnecessary room.

This line comes from Goethe's 1819 poetry collection, West-Eastern Divan, in the section titled Book of Ill Humour. It reflects his sharp, satirical response to literary critics and tedious public debates of his era.

People often hang this print in a home office or study as a witty reminder to avoid pointless arguments.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.