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The three Latin words encircling the lion — “Ars Gratia Artis” — are first spelled out in English: “Art for Art’s Sake.”

The pious motto “ars gratia artis” is supposed to mean “art for art’s sake,” but it was cobbled together, maybe from some English-Latin dictionary, by an MGM PR man.

Ars Gratia Artis Reading of Tom Lazarus’ play about a photographer on the MGM lot in 1920s Hollywood.

Like Freed, Dietz worked at MGM; he was the studio’s chief publicist, creating the Leo the Lion mascot and the “Ars Gratia Artis” motto.

Ars gratia artis, art for art's sake, was a centuries-old plea in Europe.