Comment by JumpCrisscross

> book in the 1500s was only available to (and therefore likely directed at) wealthy and highly-educated people

Those people also had to compete, in the long run, for their positions. Broadening scope from a selected sample to the population necessarily degrades quality as the common denominator is pursued.

On the other hand, it creates tremendous wealth which allows niche art to flourish. (On the third hand, populism hates niche art.)