In this article, the author discusses how the view society has taken in regard to the status and role of the artist has evolved over the centuries, and in different countries and cultures. In general, the public has sometimes lacked understanding and has not accepted some of the more avant-garde artworks, while some artists have achieved recognition and a high status. When people study the contributions and lives of artists, and ponder the meaning behind the images they make, people gain a better understanding of the role of the artist in their own lives and in society in general.