> Artists of the past were basically human rendering engines

A lie promulgated by modern art as justification for forcing out all prior art styles and aesthetics, but nothing could be further from the truth. Have you ever seen photos like the following?

https://www.wikiart.org/en/zdzislaw-beksinski/untitled-1976

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kajikazawa_in_Kai_Province

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Aivazovsky#/media/File:St...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swing_(Fragonard)

https://www.bonhams.com/zh-cn/auction/27421/lot/413/kimura-b...