Who really said it
A later anecdote credits Michelangelo; no contemporary record of his words was established.
Last verified 9 Nov 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?
For presentations
Unconfirmed quote & credit
“Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle” — Attributed to Michelangelo in Colton’s Lacon; no contemporary source confirmed
Can you use it?
We couldn’t establish where this was first published, so there’s no rights status to give. Credit it as shown above — just don’t present it as public domain, and get permission for commercial or published reuse.
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In context
Evoking the world of Michelangelo — Italian artist and poet. Theme: "Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Minimalist
Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Provenance
Recollect that trifles make perfection, and that perfection is no trifle.
Read the attribution evidenceHow we verified this
The exact English wording or its first publication has not been pinned down; no public-domain clearance is asserted.
Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.
Context
The saying is attached to a sculptor anecdote in a nineteenth-century quotation tradition. The story contrasts changes an observer overlooks with the artist’s attention to individual details, but its later publication does not establish an eyewitness report of Michelangelo.
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More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.
Go further
Trusted places to keep pulling the thread — primary archives, fact-checks, and scholarship. We show how we used each one before you leave.
Wikiquote identifies the Colton anecdote and its missing primary citation.
Google Books identifies the 1849 edition and displays the sculptor anecdote in its popular passages.
WIST also flags Colton’s unsupported anecdote; its 1820 edition pointer was not independently inspected.
Background on the artist who became the subject of the story.
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The author
For writers & researchers
Charles Caleb Colton, Lacon; later anecdote credited to Michelangelo.
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/trifles-make-perfection-and-perfection-is-no-trifle/