patron / commissioner (of art)
committenti
kom-meet-TEN-teh
'Mecenatismo' = patronage of the arts (from Maecenas, Roman patron). 'Committente' is who commissions a work.
I Medici erano i committenti più importanti del Rinascimento.
The Medici were the most important patrons of the Renaissance.
Il committente ha chiesto un ritratto della famiglia.
The patron commissioned a portrait of the family.