The patronage indicates the promotion of the Art S and the Lettres by orders or the financial aids given by a patron who can be a person or an organization like a Entreprise. In a broader acceptance, it can also apply to other fields that art: seek, education, innovation, etc

History of the patronage

The word refers to the character of Caius Cilnius Mæcenas, guard of arts and the letters in the ancient Rome. It gradually widened to indicate in the language running a moral natural person or which supports by its influence or financial means cultural project or a Artiste. During the history the patronage knew a variable importance and was marked by personalities: one speaks thus about the patronage of the medieval princesses like Mahaut d' Artois or Isabeau of Bavaria whose orders made live several artists. The golden age of the patronage emerges with the Italian Renaissance: The Arti with Florence, which protect their commercial corporations, also finance the fine arts and their artists by financing works for the religious buildings (particularly the Arte di Calimala). The Médicis, in particular Laurent Splendid the, are known to spread their benefits towards the artists of which they will allow the fame thus; lit amateur, Laurent de Médicis took under his protection of many artists like Michel-Angel, Andrea del Verrocchio, the architects Giuliano da Maiano and Giuliano da Sangallo or of humanistic or erudite like Pic of Mirandole and Savonarole.

Rodolphe II was also a large patron, confirming into 1595 the privileges of the corporation of the painters and acquiring many tables of the Titien, Albrecht Dürer or Brueghel which it installs with the Château of Prague. Italian Giuseppe Arcimboldo depicts it in Vertumne and accepted the title of Count Palatine.

The 20th century is one period of revival to the the United States and in Europe; among the great names of the time one can quote Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, the Famille Rothschild, Charles de Beistegui, Alexis de Redé, Peggy Guggenheim, the Marquis de Cuevas, Marcellin and Madeleine Castaing, Francine Weisweiller, Pierre Cardin, Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent.

Patronage nowadays

According to Guy de Brébisson, the recognition of the patronage is less in France than with the the United States, even if mentalities clearly evolved/moved since the years 1980. There mainly remains a practice of the large companies but the participation of SME is not negligible any more at the local and regional level. The companies of Province accounted for only 12,5% of the company-patrons in 1985, but 41% with the beginning of the year 1990. Two more important in this field are the Fondation Ford (approximately 80 million dollars per annum) and the foundation Reynolds (58 million dollars per annum).

The sphere of activity of the foundations can be vast, of painting to photography, while passing by the letters or architecture. The purpose of the Fondation of the Inheritance is thus to finance the restoration of the local inheritance which will never be classified. The world Funds for the monuments, financed by American patrons, paid the restoration of 450 monuments in 90 countries, like the Cloître of Saint-Trophime to Arles or Preah Khan with the Kampuchea.

In France several laws since years 1990 made evolve/move the framework of the patronage and from the foundation S, the last goes back some being the law Aillagon to 2003 which allows 90% of tax deductibility of the gifts carried out for the patronage. From 5 foundations created in 2003 pennies the aegis of the Foundation of France, one passed to 24 in 2005 and 77 in 2006. The temporary exhibitions of the museum of Louvre are mainly financed by companies: in 2004, the traditional exposition with the Master of the École of Fontainebleau Primatice received the financial support of the company Morgan Stanley. The Japanese patronage of the Japanese company Television Network dealt with the labor costs (4,81 million euros) of the room containing the Joconde. In addition, the Web site of Louvre was supported by Accenture and LCL. In 2006,60% of the receipts of Louvre come from the public allocations and 40% of the own resources (tickets, private Mécénat and gifts).

• Rest during the escape in Egypt, of Nicolas Chick: this table was bought by the Musée of the Art schools of Lyon thanks to the financial aid of 18 patrons, for a price of 17 €< million! --The precise passage would be ideal-->.