ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters, the art historical stylistic periodisation encompasses quite large stretches of time. Despite undeniable technical progress within artistic practice, the circumstances of patronage and the climate around art commission and production remained relatively uniform. Nobility, monarchy, and the Church remained present within society and continued to represent the most significant client base for prominent artists. By the end of the eighteenth century, this ‘client base’ started to change. A succession of political, scientific, and industrial revolutions heralded the dawn of a new era. While preceding centuries are generally referred to as ‘pre-modern’ or ‘early-modern’, these developments characterise the advent of what is now called ‘modernity’.
