The Grand Budapest Hotel Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Quote #10

GUSTAVE: Who drew this?

LUDWIG: What do you mean, "who drew this?" I did.

GUSTAVE: Very good. You've got a wonderful line,
Ludwig. This shows great artistic promise.

Hey, who says hardened criminals can't be artists? Maybe Ludwig was an architect in his past life, you never know. The point is that art in The Grand Budapest isn't confined to The Budapest or Lutz or anywhere else—it permeates even the most unlikely places.

Quote #11

GUSTAVE: What on God's earth possessed you to leave the homeland where you obviously belong and travel unspeakable distances to become a penniless immigrant in a refined, highly cultivated society that, quite frankly, could've gotten along very well without you?

Ouch, Gustave is really digging in here. What is his ultimate insult? That Zero and his homeland are not as "refined" as Zubrowka, which is presumably a cultured place steeped in the arts.

Quote #12

GUSTAVE: How does one come by front-row aisle seats for a first night at the Opera Toscana with one day's notice? How does one arrange a private viewing of the tapestry collection at the Royal Saxon Gallery? How does one secure a corner table at Chez Dominique on a Thursday?

It sounds like the Society of the Crossed Keys is quite the artsy, sophisticated secret society. Normally these kinds of things are focused on overthrowing the government and whatnot, but the Chez Dominique? A corner table? On a Thursday!? This is true power, and all for the sake of the arts.