The Luck of Genius. From Servant to Prophet: How High Art Was Invented

Maria Santi, author of bestsellers such as "Simply About Art. What Museums Don’t Talk About" and "About Love and Money. The History of Art Over a Cup of Coffee," in her new book will unveil the mysteries surrounding the fates of genius artists — how did they achieve success? How did they become creators of masterpieces? Why do we admire their paintings hundreds of years later? How did an artist, who was once a servant to his patrons, become a prophet and a visionary influencing people's minds? "It is impressive how the author manages to present the world history of art in an appealing concise one-volume catalogue, supplemented with small philosophical texts that analyze the phenomenon of the popularity of artists and boldly dissect the mechanisms by which their creations impact the mass audience in different eras. The author does not hesitate to express her viewpoint on the nature of success in the art community, the mechanisms of the art market, and to make forecasts in this field. In my opinion, the book is interesting not only for art and history enthusiasts but also for professionals. The language of the narrative is far from archaically scientific; the author writes in a contemporary, socially relevant language. The book captivates, is easy to read, and simultaneously evokes a desire to savor it and examine the illustrations provided, making discoveries together with the author, and then on their own. Such reading awakens interest not only in visiting museums and galleries but also in a more detailed understanding of the world of beauty, and in applying the acquired facts and knowledge in everyday life." — Marinika Babanazarova — art historian, director of the I.V. Savitsky State Museum of Arts in Nukus from 1984 to 2015 Maria Santi — art historian, curator of museum exhibitions, and art traveler. Maria is also the creator of the popular group "Pro Art" @proiskusstvo, where she shares outstanding paintings and little-known facts about the biographies of recognized artists with her followers every day.