At one time the person born to be an Artist was the maudit, accursed. Making a living was hardly guaranteed. Somewhere along the way, a cult of art celebrity was born and suddenly, families encouraged their children to embrace the arts. In this new gold rush climate, it is increasingly rare to find talent devoted to original expression, making art for the sheer joy of creation. The Trops presents ‘In Defense of Poesy’ as a celebration of the human spirit blossoming in the ateliers of Paris.