as great an artist as ever lived

[keannu]

Does this structure mean that "He is as great an artist as (anyone that) ever lived"? Is it comparing implicitly with any other artist? So by positive degree, does it imply superlative degree?
If you say "She is as beautiful as any other girl", it would mean "She is the most beautiful of all the girls", but I can't understand the hidden logic in there, I mean it seems to be saying she has the same degree of beauty with any other girl, so it sounds equaling her beauty to everyone else, but how can it mean the superlative meaning?

gu146)He is as great an artist as ever lived.

 

[probus]

Does this structure mean that "He is as great an artist as (anyone that) ever lived"?

You have it precisely. There is nothing more that needs to be said.

 

[keannu]

Thanks a lot! Doesn't "He is as a great artist as ever lived" make sense? Does it always have to be "as great an artist"?

 

[probus]

Yep, it always does. As I said, you have it precisely and there is nothing more that needs to be said.