The Mentor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Num. 9, Serial No. 157, June 15, 1918

In this thoughtful essay the author asks a question that still echoes through galleries and boardrooms alike: does art really pay? By weaving together anecdotes about restless painters, mercantile shop‑keepers and the bustling streets of a modern city, the piece shows how beauty fuels everything from polished boots to towering skyscrapers. The argument is clear—artistic taste is not a luxury but a vital engine of commerce, shaping jobs, industry and the very fabric of urban life.

The narrative then turns to a concrete example from the Renaissance, exploring Francesco Francia’s portrait of the young Federigo Gonzaga. The author unpacks the artist’s gold‑smith origins, his friendship with Lorenzo Costa, and the dramatic circumstances that brought a ten‑year‑old nobleman to the papal court, prompting his mother to demand a likeness. Through this vignette the essay illustrates how a single commission can link personal ambition, patronage and the broader market for beauty.