> ...the making of art was far too serious to be left to sentimental clients who might mistakenly desire a narrative painting with a clear moral message, or a f

> ...the making of art was far too serious to be left to sentimental clients who might mistakenly desire a narrative painting with a clear moral message, or a facsimile of a villa they had admired in Tuscany. > “We are making it out of ourselves” is a fair summary of the revolution in patronage the modern movement had brought about, in which the artist himself had now been transformed into his own patron. So at some point, artists stopped working for a living. And who doesn't want to do that? But work has a curious way of keeping things grounded and relevant.