Why were the wealthy merchant families important to the Renaissance?

The Black Plague had wiped out most workers, so the wages of the survivors increased drastically, which resulted in the very wealthy merchant class. The merchant class had excessive wealth, and after the Black Plague, most survivors started to care about the present and about worldly things. Art was one of those luxuries. The merchant class became patrons of the art, which means that they sponsored many artists and supplied them with money so they could continue their work. The basis of the Renaissance was art, and the patronage of the wealthy merchant class was one of the main reasons why art was able to strive in that era.