Paula Modersohn-Becker Quote

The journal of Marie Bashkirtseff [woman-painter born in the Ukraine, who died very young; her Journal was published c. 1895]. Her thoughts enter my bloodstream and make me very sad. I say as she doers: if only I could accomplish something! My existence seems humiliating to me. We don't have the right to strut around, not until we've made something of ourselves.

Excerpt of her Journal, Worpswede 1897; as quoted in Voicing our visions, – Writings by women artists; ed. Mara R. Witzling, Universe New York, 1991, p. 193