When thinking of commissioned art, chances are the first thing that pops into your mind is an extravagant Renaissance portrait of a wealthy person, and you're not far off. Commissioning art has historically been a way for people around the world to display their wealth and power. Artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Diego Velazquez gained popularity because of the high demand for them to paint commissioned works for members of the upper class. This is not to say commissioned art is confined to portraits. Often times churches commissioned artists to create paintings that depicted biblical scenes like Michelangelo’s fresco paintings on the walls of the Sistine Chapel.
