Then a man comes along who wants to be her patron, in the sense of classical artists being sponsored by the Medici so they were free to make art. Monica struggles with the concept of being a "kept woman" even as she delights in the freedom to begin her most powerful and controversial work. Then their roles abruptly change, and new philosophical questions are up for review. An engaging story that addresses gender stereotypes, religion, and artistic integrity, without losing the immediacy of the relationship. Adult fiction.