Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·99 of 348
"God is in the details. — Mies van der Rohe"
They never said that.
What people say
"God is in the details. — Mies van der Rohe"
What was actually said
"Attributed variously to Mies, Flaubert ("Le bon Dieu est dans le détail"), and Aby Warburg. None can be independently verified for any." Multiple candidates — Attribution contested
Why it stuck
The phrase is pinned to Mies in architecture circles, Flaubert in literary ones, Warburg in art history. The Yale Book of Quotations marks it unverifiable for all three.
The inverted form — "the devil is in the details" — is a 20th-century flip; see our phrases shelf entry.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.