To be fair... a lot were. If anything, most of the artists we still remember from before the modern era did their best work under wealthy patrons or a purpose (

To be fair... a lot were. If anything, most of the artists we still remember from before the modern era did their best work under wealthy patrons or a purpose (David's Death of Marat and Oath of the Horatii both being pseudo-propaganda for the French Revolution). The view of the starving artist doing their best work for free is compatible with our modern, post Industrial Revolution views but largely inaccurate.