Before you became an artist by working as an apprentice from a young age. Small boys started their careers by running errands for the master and his family and, if they eventually became skilful enough in copying the master’s style, they were allowed to make copies of his originals.
Producing artwork – no matter if it was intended for members of a wealthy bourgeoisie, the church or the nobility – was a business that didn’t command much respect from society as such. The rock star status of artists is something that emerged much later.