During the Renaissance, paintings were practically a dime a dozen, but sculpture! Now that was the way to dazzle people
with your wealth and good taste. Why? Sculptures cost much more than paintings, and dollar (or lira) value was the main way that people judged art back then (is it much
different today?). Commissioning a sculpture was a dramatic way to show the world that you had made it to the elite, big time.
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Signor, a
marble sculpture of your son would be
magnificent indeed. Unfortunately, it is not to be, for I have
bad news. Your ships were returning from
Constantinople with goods from the Orient, when a
terrible storm struck them.
All were lost. I am afraid that you
cannot possibly afford to commission a sculpture now.
Perhaps you should
reconsider a painting instead—they are quite
affordable. And while not as prestigious as a sculpture, you can still earn a measure of
respect with a
simple portrait.
