Contents
Overview of Maecenas
long reign of Octavian, and, in the final account, Maecenas showed that
he reciprocated Octavian’s respect by bequeathing to Octavian all of
his
considerable wealth, including a grand villa on the Esquiline Hill
where,
in a specially built auditorium, members of the circle had entertained
their friend and patron, Maecenas, and his guests.
expressive
freedom for his circle of artists and authors (and a romored
liaison between Octavian and Terentia, the wife of Maecenas)
eventually led to a few strain in the relationship of Maecenas with
Octavian, but he always retained the respect and
trust of the emperor.
wealthy,
generous patrons of the arts, and his name is still memorialized in
numerous
organizations and events that patronize the arts (the Pittsburgh Opera,
for example, has an annual “Maecenas” fund raiser).
Blockchain
(If you’re not familiar with that space yet, check out my primer from earlier this year.)On Wednesday, art investment startup Maecenas opened online registration to participate in an event it is billing as “the world’s first ever blockchain-based auction of fine art.” But in my opinion, slicing into the details lays bare a number of deficiencies that also apply to much of the overheated art and blockchain space.
Mine
But to do so, the family of Maecenas must have been plausibly prominent, but not part of the traditional Roman aristocracy.rich individual fictionalised such connections.
Network
In fact, despite the overtures made to “decentralized networks of trust” and the exclusionary inefficiencies of the traditional art industry, reliance on established art-world and business-world institutions runs rampant through Maecenas’s pitch.
Support
He supported Virgil who wrote the Georgics in his honour.Indeed, Horace begins the first poem of his Odes (Odes I.i) by addressing his new patron.It was Virgil, impressed with examples of Horace’s poetry, who introduced Horace to Maecenas.Maecenas gave him full financial support as well as an estate in the Sabine Mountains.Maecenas is most famous for his support of young poets, hence his name has become the eponym for a “patron of arts”.Propertius and the minor poets Varius Rufus, Plotius Tucca, Valgius Rufus, and Domitius Marsus also were his protégés.
Did You Know?
Although the ancient Roman Gaius Maecenas was a well-known diplomat and counselor to Emperor Augustus, it was his munificent patronage of literature that immortalized his name as a word for “a generous patron.” A writer himself, Maecenas knew of the power of poetry and viewed it as a way to glorify Augustus’s regime.Among the poets he patronized were the celebrated Virgil and Horace – both of whom he befriended.Maecenas has also been credited with encouraging both writers to focus more on topics of public interest, such as affairs of state.
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What areAsset Tokens?
Buying an asset token is like buying a share in an artwork.
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WILL THE REAL MAECENAS PLEASE STAND UP?
Maecenas’s press releases and white paper alternate between two stated goals.One is to democratize access to fine art.The other is to democratize access to fine-art investment.Yet these are wildly different objectives, and the “platform” looks much more tailored to one than the other.
Who isMaecenasfor?
Manage your Fine Art investment portfolio in an active, real-time trading environment.