ARTIST (Artista), in an academical sense, denotes a philosopher or proficient in the faculty of arts.
In the early ages of universities, the seven liberal arts completed the whole course of study, or philosophy, as it is called: whence the masters of this faculty were denominated artists. What they understood by the liberal arts used to be summed up in the following Latin verse.
Lingua, Tropus, Ratio, Numerus, Tonus, Angulus, Astra.