One of the main powers of the majority party in both houses of Congress is that both the houses can introduce legislation on any subject they deem fit, except for raising revenue. This is one of the most important powers that the majority party holds in both hoses of the Congress. The President is the ultimate person to pass the legislation.
The main reason why this was the case during the Renaissance was because art collection was a luxury, in that it required a lot of money. This made it advantageous for only the rich people to support it fully.