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Words to Live By: Artists We Lost in 2019

Credit...Clockwise from top left: Chris Pizzello/A-PIZZELLO via Associated Press; Valentin Flauraud/EPA via Shutterstock; Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times; Leslie Hassler/Associated Press; Damon Winter/The New York Times; Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Sara Aridi and

At their best, the artists who died this year could make us see the world in new ways — even as they made us laugh and cry. Here is a tribute to some of them, in their own words.


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Toni MorrisonCredit...Damon Winter/The New York Times

— Toni Morrison

Author, born 1931 (Read the obituary.)


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I.M. PeiCredit...Pierre Gleizes/Associated Press

— I.M. Pei

Architect, born 1917 (Read the obituary.)


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Agnes VardaCredit...Owen Franken for The New York Times

— Agnes Varda

Filmmaker, born 1928 (Read the obituary.)


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Luke PerryCredit...Leslie Hassler/Associated Press

— Luke Perry

Actor, born 1966 (Read the obituary.)


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Jessye NormanCredit...Richard Termine for The New York Times

— Jessye Norman

Opera singer, born 1945 (Read the obituary.)


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Harold BloomCredit...Mark Mahaney for The New York Times

— Harold Bloom

Literary critic, born 1930 (Read the obituary.)


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Alicia AlonsoCredit...Kai Foersterling/EPA, via Shutterstock

— Alicia Alonso

Ballet dancer, born 1920 (Read the obituary.)


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Robert RymanCredit...Ruby Washington/The New York Times

— Robert Ryman

Painter, born 1930 (Read the obituary.)


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Juice WRLDCredit...Krista Schlueter for The New York Times

— Juice WRLD

Rapper, born 1998 (Read the obituary.)


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Hal PrinceCredit...Jack Manning/The New York Times

— Hal Prince

Theater producer and director, born 1928 (Read the obituary.)


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Ric OcasekCredit...Chad Batka for The New York Times

— Ric Ocasek

Singer, guitarist and songwriter, born 1944 (Read the obituary.)


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Doris DayCredit...Bob Dear/Associated Press

— Doris Day

Actress, born 1922 (Read the obituary.)


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Mary OliverCredit...Angel Valentin for The New York Times

— Mary Oliver, “When Death Comes”

Poet, born 1935 (Read the obituary.)


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Ginger BakerCredit...Ruby Washington/The New York Times

— Ginger Baker

Drummer, born 1939 (Read the obituary.)


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Diahann CarrollCredit...Jean-Jacques Levy/Associated Press

— Diahann Carroll

Actress, born 1935 (Read the obituary.)


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Cesar PelliCredit...Vincent West/Reuters

— Cesar Pelli

Architect, born 1926 (Read the obituary.)


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Robert HunterCredit...Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images

— Robert Hunter, “Truckin’,” the Grateful Dead

Lyricist, born 1941 (Read the obituary.)


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Cokie RobertsCredit...Jared Soares for The New York Times

— Cokie Roberts

Journalist, born 1943 (Read the obituary.)


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Mable LeeCredit...Ruby Washington/The New York Times

— Mable Lee

Tap dancer, born 1921 (Read the obituary.)


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John SingletonCredit...Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

— John Singleton

Filmmaker, born 1968 (Read the obituary.)


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Florence Knoll BassettCredit...Ray Fisher/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

— Florence Knoll Bassett

Designer, born 1917 (Read the obituary.)


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Rip TornCredit...Wally Fong/Associated Press

— Rip Torn

Actor, born 1931 (Read the obituary.)


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Mel A. TomlinsonCredit...Vic DeLucia/The new York Times

— Mel A. Tomlinson

Ballet dancer, born 1954 (Read the obituary.)


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Carol ChanningCredit...Deidre Schoo for The New York Times

— Carol Channing

Actress, born 1921 (Read the obituary.)


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Jonas MekasCredit...Edu Bayer for The New York Times

— Jonas Mekas

Filmmaker, born 1922 (Read the obituary.)


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Alvin Ailey, left, with Franco Zeffirelli.Credit...Tim Kantor/The New York Times

— Franco Zeffirelli

Opera and film director, born 1923 (Read the obituary.)


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Credit...Timothy A. Clary/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

— Valerie Harper

Actress, born 1939 (Read the obituary.)


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Jonathan MillerCredit...Graham Stark/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

— Jonathan Miller

Theater and opera director, born 1934 (Read the obituary.)


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Clora Bryant, right, playing trumpet with the band Dixieland.Credit...Loomis Dean/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

— Clora Bryant

Musician, born 1927 (Read the obituary.)


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Credit...Wf/Associated Press

— Tim Conway

Comedian, born 1933 (Read the obituary.)


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Dr. JohnCredit...Valentin Flauraud/EPA, via Shutterstock

— Dr. John

Musician, born 1941 (Read the obituary.)


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C.Y. LeeCredit...Gino Domenico/Associated Press

— C.Y. Lee

Author, born 1915 (Read the obituary.)


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Robert EvansCredit...Jeff Robbins/Associated Press

— Robert Evans

Film producer, born 1930 (Read the obituary.)


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André PrevinCredit...Keith Meyers/The New York Times

— André Previn

Musician, born 1929 (Read the obituary.)


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Credit...Lauren Lancaster for The New York Times

— Carolee Schneemann

Performance artist, born 1939 (Read the obituary.)


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Christopher RouseCredit...Chris Lee

— Christopher Rouse

Composer, born 1949 (Read the obituary.)


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John GiornoCredit...Alex Cretey-Systermans for The New York Times

— John Giorno

Poet, born 1936 (Read the obituary.)

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section C, Page 5 of the New York edition with the headline: Words to Live By. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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