patronageart
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contribution to arts
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architecture Western architecture
...began in England in the middle of the 16th century in architecture built for the circle of the Lord Protector Somerset, who served as regent after Henry VIII’s death. During the 16th century the patron played a much greater role in the development of English Renaissance architecture than did the architect; there were almost no professional architects who were trained as the Italians were in...
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coinage coin
The patronage given by the popes to notable artists—e.g., Francia and Benvenuto Cellini—resulted in a fine and often lavish standard of design in their coins and medals. Similar patronage was shown by the noble houses of Ferrara, Mantua, Milan, and elsewhere, whose coinages from the 15th century attained a splendid level. The size of gold and silver denominations was growing, as...
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East Asian dance and theatre arts, East Asian
Chinese emperors, Korean kings, and Japanese emperors and military rulers (shoguns) all supported performers at their courts. During the T’ang dynasty, the 8th-century Chinese emperor Hsüan-tsung (also called Ming-huang) established schools in the palace city of Ch’ang-an (Sian) for music, dancing, and acting. The latter school was called the Pear Garden (Li-yüan); ever since, actors...
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literature novel
Prizes come so rarely, and often seem to be bestowed so capriciously, that few novelists build major hopes on them. They build even fewer hopes on patronage: Harriet Shaw Weaver, James Joyce’s patroness, was probably the last of a breed that, from Maecenas on, once intermittently flourished; state patronage—as represented, for instance, by the annual awards of the Arts Council of Great...
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museums museums, history of
Royal patronage was...
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Christian missions Christianity
...and trading rights south of the Tropic of Cancer. In 1494, following Columbus’s successful voyages for Spain, the pope granted Spain all territory west of 47° W longitude (eastern Brazil). Under royal patronage (patronato real, or padroado), monarchs of both nations accepted responsibility for evangelizing the...
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medieval musical development musical performance
...made them difficult to sing and because their texts (of only a few syllables) became senseless outside their original liturgical positions. Now, as secular princes became increasingly important patrons of composers and performers—a situation that would continue well into the 18th century—secular and instrumental music flourished. The polyphonic music of the church merged with...
practice in which the political party winning an election rewards its campaign workers and other active supporters by appointment to government posts and by other favours. The spoils system involves political activity by public employees in support of their party and the employees’ removal from office if their party loses the election. A change in party control of government necessarily brings new officials to high positions carrying political responsibility, but the spoils system extends personnel turnover down to routine or subordinate governmental positions.
The term was in use in American politics as early as 1812, but it was made famous in a speech made in 1832 by Senator William Marcy of New York. In defending one of President Andrew Jackson’s appointments, Marcy said, “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” In Marcy’s time, the term spoils referred to the political appointments, such as cabinet offices or ambassadorships, controlled by an elected official.
Arguments in favour of the spoils system defend it as a means of maintaining an active party organization by offering loyal workers occupational rewards. It also guarantees the ruling party loyal and cooperative employees. Supporters of the practice claim this results in more effective government because the appointed officeholders have a stake in helping the elected official to carry out his policies and fulfill his campaign promises.
On the other hand, the spoils system too often resulted in appointments that were based strictly on the needs of the party, without regard for the appointee’s qualifications or ability to do the job. Extensive changes in positions that did not affect government policy, such as President Benjamin Harrison’s changing 31,000 postmasters in one...
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patronage London
...that complicates public administration in London makes for exceptional cultural vitality. Artistic creativity flourishes in the diversity of rival centres of patronage. Royal patronage created the Royal Albert Hall, which every summer provides the setting for one of the world’s greatest music festivals, the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, known popularly as the Proms. Municipal patronage, first...
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patronage by Charles Augustus Charles Augustus
...Decrees (1819), passed by a conference of ministers of the more important German states, forced Charles Augustus to curtail his subjects’ liberties once again. Nevertheless, his patronage of the Allgemeine Deutsche Burschenschaft (Young Germany Movement), a liberal, idealistic student association, from 1818 helped launch that organization into national prominence.
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