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

Maria Santi, author of bestsellers such as "Simply About Art: What Museums Do Not Talk About" and "About Love and Money: A 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 the creators of masterpieces? Why do we admire their canvases hundreds of years later? How did an artist, who was a servant to his patron clients, become a prophet and visionary influencing people's minds? “It is remarkable how the author manages to present the world's art history in an engaging, concise one-volume catalog, supplemented with small philosophical texts analyzing the phenomenon of the popularity of artists and boldly dissecting the mechanisms of how their creations impact mass audiences across different eras. The author is not afraid to express her views on the nature of success within the art community, the workings of the art market, and to make forecasts in this field. I believe the book is of interest not only to art and history enthusiasts but also to professionals. The language used is far from archaic scientific narratives; the author writes in a modern, current societal language. The book captivates, is easy to read, and at the same time evokes a desire to savor it and examine the illustrations presented, making discoveries alongside the author, and then independently. Such reading stimulates interest not only in visiting museums and galleries but also in a more detailed mastery of the world of beauty, applying the facts and knowledge gained in everyday life.” — Marinika Babanazarova — Art historian, director of the I. V. Savitsky State Museum of Arts in Nukus 1984—2015. Maria Santi — art historian, curator of museum exhibitions, and art traveler. She is also the creator of the popular group “Pro Art” @proiskusstvo, where she shares outstanding paintings and little-known facts about the biographies of renowned artists with her subscribers every day.