How were artists viewed by the Romantics, and in what way was this a change from the past?

Sometimes it has a lot to do with culture. They could have been viewed in a positive way or negative way.

During the renaissance period, the people fought back the church's control on everything. As we know, the church didn't allow anyone to express his/her feelings in any way possible. So art was not allowed, poetry was banned, literature, etc ... Unless it was religion related.

So when the people fought off the church's control, poets began to write, artists began to paint and these "outlaws" were viewed as rebels, but in a good way.