NEW YORK, NY.- For many centuries, art has depended on the rich. Without them, many of the greatest works of art that the world now celebrates would never have come into being, and many of the greatest artists would not have been able to make a living. In the past, however, wealth was generally in the hands of royalty or those at the very top of religious institutions; for the latter, it was limited by political concerns, and the former were not always known for their taste. Today, the picture is very different as the self-made rich exercise their intelligence in their cultivation of art and many seek to collect famous works.

Another shift that has taken place is that art is no longer restricted to the interior of palaces and churches – now it appears in galleries where everybody can enjoy it. This is largely thanks to wealthy philanthropists who donate works they have acquired or lend their collections out seasonally, sometimes moving them around the country to improve public access. These philanthropists have made their money in many different ways, and they’re not always what one might expect.

Steve Wynn
Steve Wynn may be best known for reviving the bright lights of Las Vegas, but the hotel developer has also made a splash in the art world. His passion for Picassos once extended to bidding $125 million for Les Femmes d’Alger, and though he missed out on that occasion, he owned Le Rêve for several years and also possessed Still Life with Tulips. He has also taken an interest in the works of Rembrandt and Vermeer, and he has had his portrait painted by Andy Warhol – that treasure hangs on the wall of his New York apartment.

María Asunción Aramburuzabala
Chair of Tresalia Capital and one of the biggest names in the brewing industry, María Asunción Aramburuzabala also has business interests in real estate, technology, and venture capital. Though very private about her collection, which is understood to be divided between her Miami penthouse and her Mexican family home, she is frequently seen at art fairs, where she takes a particular interest in modern and contemporary art.

Paul Allen
Microsoft mogul Paul Allen, who has made a big success of his sports franchises, also has a traditional side that surprises some people. He’s an enthusiastic collector of Old Masters as well as Impressionists and contemporary painters, with a collection that includes works by Cézanne, Monet, Klimt, Jan Brueghel, Turner, and Gerhard Richter. He loves to share his art, and regularly sends it on museum tours so that the public can enjoy it.

Barbara Lee
A sometime schoolteacher and social worker who is now considered to be one of the most powerful women in Boston, Barbara Lee has built her own career on advancing other women. A skilled investor, she manages the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and specializes in collecting contemporary works by female artists, supporting their careers, and developing partnerships that bring that art to wider audiences. This way, the public discover new work and the artists themselves benefit directly.

Arrangements like this help to sustain art as a viable profession in the contemporary world, while collectors of older art ensure that it continues to receive widespread public attention, inspiring future generations of creative talent. In this way, the wealthy are as important to the art world as they have ever been. In return, they enjoy public gratitude, get the chance to encourage the production of more works like those they admire, and get what every art lover really wants – the chance to own and adore some of the greatest works ever created.