Romain Rolland was a renowned French writer in the early 20th century, as well as an art professor with a deep passion for music. In 1915, he won the Nobel Prize in literature for his novel “Jean-Christophe,” which follows the life of the titular musical genius through all his trials and triumphs. Rolland was a lifelong pacifist who lived through World War I and most of World War II, and believed that peace was inexorably tied to humanity’s artistic instincts. His words here strengthen that connection: Artists make work that inspires and buoys us in difficult times, reminding us of the valuable things in life.