In the late 19th and early 20th century, the most capitalistic era in American history, it was considered normal that the immense popularity of Augustus Saint Gaudens, Frederick MacMonnies and Maxfield Parrish should earn them substantial wealth. Saint Gaudens was (and still is) regarded as America's foremost sculptor. MacMonnies' annual income in the mid-1890s reputedly reached $300,000 (about $7.5 million today). In 1925, one of every four American homes had a print of Maxfield Parrish's *Daybreak*. These artist-entrepreneurs flourished by exceptional ability, hard work, and savvy marketing. This book gives a brief overview of the life and notable works of Saint Gaudens, MacMonnies, and Parrish, within the historical, political, and economic framework of the period between the Civil War and World War I. If you enjoy hearing about intelligent, hard-working, innovative, highly skilled and profit-minded men making piles of money by creating beautiful works of art, then this book is for you.
