Who said those timeless words, first ?
This is a 19th century proverbial phrase.
It is first found in print in
Andrea del Sarto, 1855,
a poem by Robert Browning:
Who strive you don't know
how the others strive
To paint a little thing like
that you smeared
Carelessly passing with your robes
afloat,- Yet do much less, so much less,
Someone says,
(I know his name, no matter)
Well, less is more, Lucrezia
Scrapmatts Printers Tray
and words ~ Timeless Egelance
Melissa Francis Cameo Broach
Felt Butterfly, Paper Roses
Button and Clock from my stash
I agree that less is more !