Answer:
Growth of a merchant class with additional income used to patron in the arts
Step-by-step explanation:
As the feudal system came to a crisis, merchants started to organize themselves into a different social class, that was widely independent of the kings and the feudal system.
They were able to learn to read, count, and track the number of important sales in the transactions of merchandise.
Later they were to become a powerful sector of the economy that independently sponsored artists.
This was called Patronage, where wealthy merchants like the Medici would support economically artists so they could solely focus on their art productions, and at the same time artworks become the flourishing motor of the financial growth of Italian cities.
The Medici sponsored Michelangelo's works- among other Rennaisance artists-
Merchants helped Art become widespread.