William makes a good point, Chris. Much of what you say connotes that money is the root of evil in art.
Samuel Johnson wrote most of his good stuff solely to get money. Montaigne couldn't have written his essays if he weren't rich. Austen and Dickinson couldn't have written without their Dads' providing food, shelter and clothing. Mendelssohn, who a recent New Yorker review claims, was a greater boy genius than even Mozart, couldn't have become so without his rich family. If painters and composers in past centuries didn't have patrons, the fruits of their talents would have been much less because they'd have had to do something else to turn a dollar. ************** You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone. (http://movies.aol.com/oscars-academy-awards?ncid=emlcntusmovi00000001)
