Many creative artists have been discouraged, however, by lack of appreciation of their work. The great Baroque architect Francesco Borromini committed suicide at least partly because of critical neglect and attack. A legend that the English poet John Keats died because of savage criticism of Endymion is false, but Keats was affected seriously by the attacks. Cézanne, in his later years, was deeply hurt by what he thought was complete public disregard of his achievement.
Like individuals of distinction in other fields, artists have been singled out for awards of various sorts. The most prestigious of these honours is the Nobel Prize for Literature, which, with two exceptions (1914 and 1943), has been awarded annually since 1901. The prize has sometimes been refused, notably because of political pressure, but the writers chosen usually have regarded it as the climax of their careers. There is no comparable award in the other arts.
In the United States, the Pulitzer Prizes annually honour outstanding work in drama, fiction, poetry, and musical composition, as well as in scholarly and journalistic writings. The National Book Awards also honour literary work in the different genres.
In other countries, artists are given prizes or other marks of merit for distinguished achievement. The Prix Goncourt is the best known of French literary awards. Many creative and performing artists appear each year on the honours list in Great Britain, as recipients of knighthoods or other distinctions. In the former Soviet Union, the title of Honoured Artist was conferred as a badge of accomplishment. In Japan, actors are often honoured with such titles as National Living Treasure, indicating the prestige they have acquired.
Artists are also eligible for election to honorary societies, some of which are limited to the arts. The greatest tribute that can be paid to an artist or intellectual in France is elevation to membership in the Académie Française, the famous company of "immortals." In the United States, the National Institute of Arts and Letters constitutes the chief honorary society of the arts.
