It is said that great art often has its roots in hard times; that the well of inspiration from which artists and creatives draw in times of economic collapse or social turmoil is far more generous than that available during periods of relative stability and prosperity. But do financial constraints make for finer cultural outputs? Patronage has had a critical role in the production and ongoing support of fledgling artists. The sponsorship the de Medici family bestowed upon their native Florence and beyond resulted in the erection of the Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo’s painting in the Sistine Chapel and in establishing Florence as the city from which the Renaissance flowed. Not much has changed in the last five centuries: It was Charles Saatchi’s advertising wealth that supported the work of the Young British Artists during This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Seven Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 51 Emily Gernild The Danish painter breathing new life into an old medium. Arts & Culture Food Issue 51 Imogen Kwok The artist takes food styling quite literally, creating accessories out of fruits and vegetables. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Karin Mamma Andersson Inside the moody, mysterious world of Sweden’s preeminent painter. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Amalie Smith The Danish arts writer finding clarity between the lines. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Studio Visit: Heidi Gustafson A cabin in the Cascade Mountains houses a hermetic artist—and her extraordinary world of natural pigments. Arts & Culture Issue 49 Correction: Clutter A tidy room does not always beget a tidy mind.
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