From the introduction:
The main debate in this game is between traditional modes of art that espouse naturalism through the use of perspective and other formal means and the avant-garde who wish to move art into a new realm of creativity with unnatural color choices and a sense of flattened space. The traditional artists are to some degree tied to the Academy’s conservative standards that continue to advocate for history paintings, traditional use of color and perspective, and no brushstrokes or “hand of the artist” visible. The game features artists who all have a difference of opinion on the future of art, thus there are some divisions within factions, but generally players are broken down into the following factions:
• Academy Members and Traditional Artists
• Impressionists
• Avant-Garde Artists
• Critics
• Dealers