Simplicity and repose are the qualities that measure the true value of any work of art.

The saying frames Wright’s aesthetic as an ethical standard: good art is not proved by ornament, novelty, or technical display, but by clarity (“simplicity”) and a settled harmony that puts the viewer at ease (“repose”). Read this way, “value” is experiential and holistic—an artwork succeeds when its parts cohere so naturally that nothing feels forced or superfluous. The pairing also echoes Wright’s broader preference for integrated design, where structure, materials, and setting work together to create calm unity. As a critical yardstick, the line implies that complexity is not inherently deep; depth can appear as restraint, proportion, and quiet balance.