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Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

ACADEMIC STYLE

During the Renaissance, the first European fine art academies were established in Italy and would guide the style and standards of visual culture in the following centuries. Academic art became dominant across the continent in the 17th century, with artists coming together to offer instruction in this style of painting and sculpture

The academic art period represented a significant change from the previous era when painters, sculptors and other artists were part of guilds and seen more as artisans than purveyors of culture. While patronage from the elite and the church remained pivotal, young artists were able to support themselves for the first time through academic exhibitions and an independent marketplace. The leading academies included the French Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture founded in Paris in 1648 (which became the Académie des Beaux-Arts after the French Revolution) and the London Royal Academy of Arts formed in 1768 under the inaugural leadership of painter Joshua Reynolds

Academy students sketched drawings based on prints, sculptures and, finally, live models. Movements including neoclassicism and romanticism were particularly popular in these art schools and institutions where the influence of Raphael and Nicolas Poussin was prominent. Beaux Arts architecture and furniture design drew on these movements, too, and, as they also originated at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, the disciplines share common ground with academic painting and sculpture.

Although academic art was a major shift for artistic status when it began, by the middle of the 19th century it was viewed as stodgy and resistant to new ideas, with the subject matter of artists such as William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Jean-Léon Gérôme generally limited to allegorical or mythological themes. Impressionism, realism and the other movements that engaged with contemporary issues that followed were direct reactions to the academic tradition, although it continued to inform the avant-garde as artists like Gustav Klimt and Pablo Picasso started their practices as academic realists.  

Find a collection of academic paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs. 

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Style: Academic
'Study for a Stained Glass Window', Devotional, Ecclesiastical, Pre-Raphaelite
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
A sensitively drawn and highly-detailed study for a three-panel set of stained glass windows showing the ascension of Jesus by angels and mortals. Initialed, lower right, 'EB-J', an...
Category

1920s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

The Carpet Seller 19th Century Orientalist Antique Watercolor Painting on Paper
Located in Jacksonville, FL
Provenance John Welles Hollenback, New York The Painting is Signed FBartolini Lower Right Federico Bartolini (Italian, 1861 - 1908) Description: Federico Bartolini was a renowned ...
Category

19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Drawing of Putti with Anchor by Jean-Jacques le Barbier l'Ainé (1738-1826)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Drawing of Putti with Anchor Jean-Jacques le Barbier l'Ainé (1738-1826) Black pencil on paper Signed and dated lower left "...1822. 12 years l waiting" Considering that the anchor ...
Category

1820s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Stride
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Stride Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pen on paper Size: 20 (Height) x 13.75 (Width) Signed: No Condition: Good...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pen

Pre-Second Republic Academic Study Of A Male Nude Framed 1840s French Drawing
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Henry Arthur Roberts. French ( b.1819 - d.1900 ). Academic Life Study Of A Standing Male Nude. Pencil & Charcoal On Paper. Paper size 23.8 inches x 13.6 inches ( 60.5cm x 34.5cm ). Frame size 28.3 inches x 18.7 inches ( 72cm x 47.5cm ). Available for sale; this academic life drawing of a male nude is by the French artist Henry Arthur Roberts and dates from the early 1840s. The drawing is presented and supplied in a modest hand painted glazed wooden frame dating from the mid-20th century (which is shown in these photographs). This antique drawing is in good condition, commensurate with its age. It is in an untouched condition having never been restored. The paper has handling marks, some light surface dirt, the odd foxing mark and general age toning. The overall patina adds to the aesthetic and is supplied ready to hang and display. The drawing is not signed but came from a portfolio of drawings by Henry Arthur Roberts. Henry Arthur Roberts was a recognised French artist, notable for his portraits and paintings of religious subjects. Born in Paris in 1819, he was the son of British watercolour artist James Roberts, himself active in Paris from 1819 -1846. Henry became a student of his father. Henry Roberts’s talent as a young man was such that he was accepted as a student of Michel Martin Drölling and worked extensively with him. Drölling, the highly acclaimed neoclassic artist (1786-1851) was noted for his theatrical paintings of history and grand portraits. He produced many notable works, including a ceiling work for the Louvre, and works in the Palace of Versailles. Roberts would have studied with Drölling at an early stage in his career, as Drölling died when Roberts was 32. Learning with such a master would have had a huge impact on Roberts in terms of his academic skills and his own emerging style. Roberts exhibited at the Salon de Paris from 1839, when he was only 20 years old, right through to 1867. His work in the Universal Exhibition of 1855 won him a Third Class Medal. He became Vice-President of the Association of Artists in Paris and in July 1898 he was elevated to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honour with a foreign title. This was the highest state honour available to him, in recognition of his status as an artist. Henry Roberts died in 1900, but his legacy lives on, with works in many famous public collections, including the Musée Carnavalet, the Musée du Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Orsay, and in Boston, USA. © Big Sky Fine Art This exceptional academic nude...
Category

1840s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pencil

Biedermeier Period Academic Life Study Male Nude Carrying A Staff Circa 1826
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Eduard Braun. German ( b.1798 - d.1876 ). Academic Life Study Of A Male Nude Carrying A Staff. Pencil & Charcoal On Paper With Heightening. Annotation (presumably a dedication) Lower Left. Paper size 24 inches x 16.5 inches ( 61cm x 42cm ). Frame size 30.1 inches x 22.2 inches ( 76.5cm x 56.5cm ). Available for sale; this academic life drawing of a male nude is by the German artist Eduard Braun and dates from around 1826. The drawing is presented and supplied in an interesting configuration with a modern twist (which is shown in these photographs). The drawing has been float mounted between two sheets of Tru Vue Museum Glass® UV99 so that the wall or setting behind the hanging is visible and therefore provides the surround for the artwork. This antique drawing is in very good condition, commensurate with its age. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display. The drawing is not signed but came from a portfolio of drawings by Eduard Braun. This drawing has a later annotation and presumably a dedication in red ink in the bottom left hand corner. The annotation is the monogram HL within a heart. The configuration of the HL resembles the format used by the French artist Henri Laurens 1885 – 1954 where the downstroke of the L is merged with the second downstroke of the H. This stunning original pencil and charcoal drawing on paper is by a German artist called Eduard Braun. He was born in 1798 and died in 1876, but little else is known about him apart from the fact that he was active in the Paris art salons and rooms. This drawing is from a portfolio by this artist on a similar theme and is typical of the type of academic study undertaken by serious art students throughout the nineteenth century. One of the other drawings in this portfolio is annotated as being created in 1826 and there is every reason to think that this drawing is contemporaneous with that. The drawing is of a very high standard, capturing both strength and sensitivity, showcasing the artist’s ability to reproduce a lifelike image of a nude model. The subject of this drawing is a young man, possibly in his mid-twenties, with a toned and muscular body. He is standing with his weight on his right leg, which is slightly bent, and holding a wooden staff in his right hand. His left foot is raised slightly with the toes pointed, and his left hand is placed behind his back. Although he is facing fully towards the viewer, his gaze is to his left. He has pleasant, serene expression on his face. The background is bare, save for the shadow cast by the model. This original antique drawing...
Category

Early 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pencil

Dance school by Benjamin II Vautier - Drawing 33x46 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper Golden wooden frame with glass pane 49,5 x 63 x 2 cm
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Horse sketch by Otto Vautier - Drawing on paper 31x37 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on cardboard Otto Vautier is a renowned Swiss painter, born in 1863 in Düsseldorf. He was influenced by a family of artists and developed his style ...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Color Pencil

Drölling Student Academic Life Study Of A Male Nude Framed 1840s French Drawing
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Henry Arthur Roberts. French ( b.1819 - d.1900 ). Academic Life Study Of A Male Nude Carrying A Staff. Pencil & Charcoal On Paper. Paper size 23.4 inches x 13.6 inches ( 59.5cm x 34.5cm ). Frame size 28.3 inches x 18.7 inches ( 72cm x 47.5cm ). Available for sale; this academic life drawing of a male nude is by the French artist Henry Arthur Roberts and dates from the early 1840s. The drawing is presented and supplied in a modest hand painted glazed wooden frame dating from the mid-20th century (which is shown in these photographs). This antique drawing is in good condition, commensurate with its age. It is in an untouched condition having never been restored. The paper has handling marks, some light surface dirt, the odd foxing mark and general age toning. The overall patina adds to the aesthetic and is supplied ready to hang and display. The drawing is not signed but came from a portfolio of drawings by Henry Arthur Roberts. Henry Arthur Roberts was a recognised French artist, notable for his portraits and paintings of religious subjects. Born in Paris in 1819, he was the son of British watercolour artist James Roberts, himself active in Paris from 1819 -1846. Henry became a student of his father. Henry Roberts’s talent as a young man was such that he was accepted as a student of Michel Martin Drölling and worked extensively with him. Drölling, the highly acclaimed neoclassic artist (1786-1851) was noted for his theatrical paintings of history and grand portraits. He produced many notable works, including a ceiling work for the Louvre, and works in the Palace of Versailles. Roberts would have studied with Drölling at an early stage in his career, as Drölling died when Roberts was 32. Learning with such a master would have had a huge impact on Roberts in terms of his academic skills and his own emerging style. Roberts exhibited at the Salon de Paris from 1839, when he was only 20 years old, right through to 1867. His work in the Universal Exhibition of 1855 won him a Third Class Medal. He became Vice-President of the Association of Artists in Paris and in July 1898 he was elevated to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honour with a foreign title. This was the highest state honour available to him, in recognition of his status as an artist. Henry Roberts died in 1900, but his legacy lives on, with works in many famous public collections, including the Musée Carnavalet, the Musée du Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Orsay, and in Boston, USA. © Big Sky Fine Art This striking academic nude study...
Category

1840s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pencil

Tree by Otto Vautier - Graphite on paper - 21x29 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Otto Vautier (1863-1919) was a German artist active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born into a family with artistic roots, as the s...
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

"Notions Possibilités" Study of Horse Gaits and Motion by Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Abstract Study or a Rearing Horse and Figure Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pen on paper Size: 6.25 (Height) x 4.5 (Width) Signed: No Condit...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pen

Original French Textured Equine Study of a Horse
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Textured Equine Study of a Horse Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Acrylic and Textured Paste on Paper Size: 14 (Height) x 14 (Width) Signed: No...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

MB 017 (Figurative Life Drawing of Female Nude by Mark Beard)
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic style life drawing of female nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 017" graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30 x 22 inches unframed Signed, lowe...
Category

2010s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite

Biedermeier Period Academic Life Study Male Nude Half Kneeling Pose Circa 1826
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Eduard Braun. German ( b.1798 - d.1876 ). Academic Life Study Of A Male Nude Half Kneeling Pose. Pencil & Charcoal On Paper With Heightening. Paper size 2...
Category

Early 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pencil

Original French Abstract Artwork of a Horse in a Forest Setting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Abstract Artwork of a Horse in a Forest Setting Artist: Robert Ladou (French 1929-2014) Medium: Acrylic on paper drawing: 11.5 x 9.5 inches condition: Good pro...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm
Located in Firenze, IT
Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm This represents the statue of the écorché by the French sculptor Houdon. Sculpture - Anatomical model o...
Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Watercolor by A. Chaudet - The village church
Located in Geneva, CH
Watercolor on paper sold with frame. The total size with frame is 53x45,5 cm Signed A. Chaudet
Category

Late 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Horse sketch by Otto Vautier - Drawing on paper 31x37 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on cardboard Otto Vautier is a renowned Swiss painter, born in 1863 in Düsseldorf. He was influenced by a family of artists and developed his style ...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Color Pencil

Original French Minimalist Horse Study
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Minimalist Horse Study Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil on paper Size: 11.75 (Height) x 14.75 (Width) ...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

'Study for a Stained Glass Window', Devotional, Ecclesiastical, Pre-Raphaelite
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
A sensitively drawn and highly-detailed study for a three-panel set of stained glass windows showing the ascension of Jesus by angels and mortals. Initialed, lower right, 'EB-J', an...
Category

1920s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

Set of Four Butterflies. French Watercolours on Silk Laid on Handmade Paper.
Located in Cotignac, FR
A set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. Two are signed by the artist to the bottom righ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Silk, Watercolor, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil, Gouache

Sketch woman portrait by Stephanie Guerzoni - Sketch on paper 26x37 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Crayon

'Hart Laubs Duck' by British ornithologist Sir Peter Markham Scott
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Sir Peter Markham Scott CH CBE DSC FRS FZS Hart Laubs Duck Watercolour on paper 4.3/8 x 6.1/2 in. (11.2 x 16.5 cm.) Provenance: Painted by Scott as a visual record for a bird spotte...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

“Narrow Channel”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original watercolor and gouache artwork of a tug boat guiding a large freighter through Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington by the American artist, Robert Dexter Coe. Signed “Coe” low...
Category

1940s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Archival Paper, Gouache

Domingo Alvarez Gómez (1942) - Desnudo masculino - Dibujo a pastel
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado en la parte inferior por el artista Se presenta sin enmarcar la obra Medidas obra: 50 cm. de altura x 32 cm. de ancho Buen estado de conservación el de la obra ::::::::::...
Category

Late 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

“India, 1912”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original watercolor and gouache on paper of a busy street scene in India done in 1912 by the American artist, William Henry Drake. Copyrighted signed and dated 1912 lower left. Condition is good. Recently professionally matted. Unframed. Overall matte size is 12 by 16 inches. Provenance: A Long Island, New York estate. William Henry Drake Born: 1856 New York Died: 1926 Los Angeles Nationality: American Education: Académie Julian, Art Students League of New York Known for: Painting, illustration Awards: National Academy Biography: Drake studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, with Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant and Henri Lucien Doucet. Back from Europe, he studied at the Cincinnati School of Design, and would often go to the zoo, where he could draw the animals. He was then employed by the Museum of Natural History. He continued to study at the Art Students League of New York. In 1878 he worked as a freelance pen-and-ink artist for such periodicals as Century or Harper’s with animal studies...
Category

1910s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Original French Pencil Study of Riders and Horses in Misty Landscape
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Pencil Study of Riders and Horses in Misty Landscape Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil on paper Size: 11.75 (Height) x 16.5 (Width) Sign...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm
Located in Firenze, IT
Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm This represents the statue of the écorché by the French sculptor Houdon. Sculpture - Anatomical model o...
Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Original French Study of Children Watching Horses Cross a Bridge
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Study of Children Watching Horses Cross a Bridge Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Ink on card Size: 6.5 (Height) x 14.75 (Width) Signed: No Co...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Tree by Otto Vautier - Graphite on paper - 21x29 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Otto Vautier (1863-1919) was a German artist active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born into a family with artistic roots, as the s...
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Dance school by Benjamin II Vautier - Drawing 33x46 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper Golden wooden frame with glass pane 49,5 x 63 x 2 cm
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

She Ain't Heavy - She's My Lover (Contemporary Figurative Nude Drawing))
Located in New Orleans, LA
New Orleans/Washington State artist Lue Isaac shows off her remarkable draftsmanship with this classical nude figure drawing. Note that this is from her ske...
Category

2010s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite

Watercolor Paper mid 19th Victor ADAM Zouaves French Infantry soldiers Military
Located in PARIS, FR
Jean-Victor ADAM known as Victor ADAM Paris, 1801 – Viroflay, 1866 Watercolor on paper 14 x 18.5 cm (30.5 x 34.5 cm with frame) Signed lower left “V. Adam” Framed Very beautiful wat...
Category

1830s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

1900s French Atelier Life Drawing Academic Sculpture of Male Nude Figure
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Life study drawing original atelier drawing by the French artist, Jeanne Nachat (1898-1984) Nachat attended the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts in Pa...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil

1900s French Atelier Academic Drawing Portrait of Classical Male Nude Sculpture
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Life study drawing original atelier drawing by the French artist, Jeanne Nachat (1898-1984) Nachat attended the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts in Pa...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil

Anatomy Drawing of a Horse - Original French Artwork Equestrian Anatomy Study
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Anatomy of a Horse by Robert Ladou (French 1929-2014) original drawing stuck on card in black folder/ thick paper, unframed drawing: 12 x 17.75 ...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil

Original French Anatomical Frontal View Study of a Horse's Head
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Frontal View Study of a Horse's Head Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Oil pastel on paper Size: 11.75 (Height) x 8.25 (Width) Sign...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Pencil

'Female Nude', by R.V. Goetz, Charcoal on Paper Drawing
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This Richard Vernon Goetz Drawing on Paper from the mid-20th Century features a standing female nude rendered in black and grey cross-hatch lines of Charcoal and Conté Crayon. The we...
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Conté

Louis Charles Auguste Couder (1789-1873) Portrait of a young man, signed pastel
Located in Paris, FR
Louis Charles Auguste Couder (1789-1873) Portrait of a young man signed on the right border Pastel on paper 28.5 x 21 cm In good condition In a modern frame : 48 x 40.5 cm Augu...
Category

1860s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm
Located in Firenze, IT
Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm This represents the statue of the écorché by the French sculptor Houdon. Sculpture - Anatomical model o...
Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Duel Between Gentlemen by Benjamin II Vautier - Graphite on paper - 26.5x21 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Benjamin II Vautier (1895–1974) was a Swiss-born artist, known for his contributions to both painting and graphic art. He was born into a family with artistic roots, as the son of Ot...
Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Early 19th Century English watercolour of woodland near Croxdale Hall
Located in Harkstead, GB
A very attractive and meticulously executed view of a rocky landscape within the woods dating to 1823. This would suit a library or study with its muted tones and skifull draughtsmanship. William Nicholson (1781-1844) Near Croxdale Hall Signed with initials and inscribed with title and date 1823 Pen, ink and grey wash 11 x 8 inches, image only 17 x 13 inches without frame The portrait-painter and etcher William Nicholson was born in Ovingham-on-Tyne, Northumberland, on Christmas Day 1781. His family transferred to Newcastle when his father was appointed Headmaster of the city's Grammar School. At an early age, though, Nicholson appears to have moved to Hull where he made his artistic debut, painting miniatures of officers garrisoned there. He was almost entirely self-taught, learning his craft through the close study of artworks in private and public galleries. He subsequently returned to Newcastle where he received many commissions to paint portraits of the old families of Northumberland. In 1808, he began to exhibit at the Royal Academy, continuing to do so until 1822. By 1814, Nicholson, whose mother was a Scot, had moved to Edinburgh where he set up as a miniaturist and painter in oils. Soon, however, he began to specialize in watercolour portraits. Early subjects included the actor Daniel Terry and the poet and novelist James Hogg. In 1818 he began to publish a series of Portraits of Eminent Scotsmen, etched from his own portraits and those of other painters. Besides Scott and Hogg, the subjects included the writers Robert Burns, John Wilson ('Christopher North'), and Lord Jeffrey, the painters Sir Henry Raeburn, the divines Alexander Carlyle and Alexander Cameron, the engineer James Watt, the architect John Playfair, and the song-collector and composer George Thomson...
Category

Early 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Ink, Pen

Edouard Detaille (1848 1912) An officer of the Gendarmerie Impériale, drawing
Located in Paris, FR
Edouard Detaille (1848-1912) An officer of the Gendarmerie Impériale, viewed of the back bears the monogram ED but it is not visible because it is hidden by the mounting of the frame...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of a Horse in Profile
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of a Horse in Profile Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil on Paper Size: 14.25 (Height) x 19.25 (Width) Signed: No ...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Edouard Detaille (1848 1912), A Carnival scene, watercolor signed
Located in Paris, FR
Edouard Detaille (1848-1912) A carnival scene 21 x 16.5 cm Watercolor and brown ink on paper Signed lower right Period frame : 35 x 30 cm (lacks in...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Samantha Haring, "Crystal Clear" Chalk pastel on paper
Located in New York, NY
Samantha Haring Crystal Clear, 2024 Chalk pastel on paper 15 x 15 in. (hari026)
Category

2010s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm
Located in Firenze, IT
Academic drawing: L'Écorché by Houdon. Italian school. 19th century. 59x44cm This represents the statue of the écorché by the French sculptor Houdon. Sculpture - Anatomical model o...
Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

20th century English pencil sketch study of a young boys head
Located in Woodbury, CT
Ernest Procter Wonderful classical drawing of a young boys head study Ernest Procter ARA was an English designer, illustrator and painter, and husband of the famous British artist ...
Category

1920s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil

The Swiss by Otto Vautier - Drawing 31x24 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on canvas Otto Vautier is a renowned Swiss painter, born in 1863 in Düsseldorf. He was influenced by a family of artists and developed his style dur...
Category

1910s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Crayon, Watercolor

Feeding the Kittens - Little cat mother -
Located in Berlin, DE
Ernst Albert Fischer-Cörlin (1853 Körlin - 1932 Persante). Feeding the Kittens, 1893. Pencil on painting cardboard, 38 x 29 cm. Signed and dated by the artist at lower left "E[rnst] A[lbert] Fischer=Cörlin 1893". - Lightly stained, somewhat dusty and minimally foxed. - Little cat mother - About the artwork Daughter, mother and grandmother gather in the sunlight to feed a litter of kittens. The mother and grandmother hold the lively, playful animals in their arms, while the young girl feeds two of the four kittens with cookies. There is also a small bucket of milk and a bowl of milk. The women and the girl watch as the cute, still blind animals eat. It is a scene taken from everyday life, but it also has an allegorical dimension, bringing maternal care into the representation. Three generations are represented, with the grandmother and the mother already mothers. They not only offer the kittens to the youngest, but also proudly observe the maternal care that the youngest gives to the kittens. Like the kittens, she will grow up and become a mother herself, so the image is also an allegory of life's ever-new beginnings. In keeping with this, the morning sun shines into the picture from the right. Fischer-Cörlin has masterfully worked out the quality of the light, with its light and dark areas, with the pencil used...
Category

1890s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Cardboard, Carbon Pencil

Edouard Detaille (1848 1912), A Carnival character, original signed Drawing
Located in Paris, FR
Edouard Detaille (1848-1912) A Carnival character and a Zouave 19.5 x 12.5 cm Pen and ink on paper Signed lower left with the initials (faded) In a modern framing : 35 x 28 cm T...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Nudo maschile nella posa di un satiro dormiente. XIX secolo
Located in Firenze, IT
Disegno del nudo maschile. Dal 19 ° secolo Disegno su carta leggermente colorata. In buone condizioni. Il disegno rappresenta un uomo sdraiato, che si abbandona al sonno. In una posa...
Category

19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Carbon Pencil

Edouard Detaille (1848 1912), The Young Paperboy, signed watercolor
Located in Paris, FR
Edouard Detaille (1848-1912) The Young Paperboy 16.5 x 20.5 cm Watercolor and brown ink on paper Signed lower right In good condition, the paper is slightly yellowed by time, some o...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Fernand de Launay (1855-1904) Portrait of a child, 1890, original drawing
By Fernand de Launay
Located in Paris, FR
Fernand de Launay (1838-1904) Portrait of a child, probably the daughter of the artist Lead pencil on paper Signed and dated "4 septembre 1890" on the lower left 27 x 21 cm In quite ...
Category

1890s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Carbon Pencil

Italian Art nouveau Nude Boudoir painting woman warming herself by a stove Paris
By Tito Lessi
Located in Norwich, GB
A very pure and tender rendition of a female nude. Elegant in its simplicity, the artist's model, is warming herself by a large stove! It is a work by Tito Lessi dating from circa 1890. Lessi was born in Florence, Italy and studied at the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts, under Enrico Pollastrini and Antonio Ciseri...
Category

1890s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Laid Paper

Watercolor by A. Chaudet - The village church
Located in Geneva, CH
Watercolor on paper sold with frame. The total size with frame is 53x45,5 cm Signed A. Chaudet
Category

Late 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Edouard Detaille (1848 1912) Soldiers, a study, ink on wood
Located in Paris, FR
Edouard Detaille (1848-1912) Soldiers, a study Black ink on a wood panel 12.5 x 13 cm Framed : 20 x 20.5 cm On the back of the panel a label inscribed "Dessin à la plume par Detaill...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Anatomy Drawings of a Horse - Original French Artwork Equestrian Anatomy Study
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Anatomy of a Horse by Robert Ladou (French 1929-2014) original drawing stuck on card in blue folder/ thick paper, unframed top drawing: 7.25 x 9...
Category

20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil

Woman smoking pencil drawing
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Frame size 74x61 cm.
Category

1950s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

French School circa 1880, Portrait of a boy holding a book, drawing
Located in Paris, FR
French school circa 1880 Portrait of a boy holding a book graphite and white gouache on paper 39.5 x 32 cm oval view in good condition, slightly yellowed with age In its original ova...
Category

1880s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Pencil

Architecture Sketches Study Drawing, Romane Church in France by Maurice Lambert
Located in Atlanta, GA
This enormously impressive architectural study was created for a church's renovation in a suburb of Paris. These sketches of the St Pierre church in Avon, Seine et Marne Departement, near Paris are for the restoration of the front porch. The artist created the drawing using watercolor, ink, and sepia pencil. On the lower center bottom, you have the drawing of the porch itself, on the left side a close-up of the underside of the framework, and on the right side the same framework views from above. The top left corner shows a quoted plan of the porch. In the lower right-hand corner a handwritten dedication that says "To my old mate and pal. A fond recollection of school." Maurice Lambert's signature is after the dedication. The study is ornate with a classic wood frame with glass protection. The frame has some little wear, but otherwise, the artwork is in wonderful shape. Please check the last three pictures for views of the original building. Measurements: With frame: 40.94 in wide (104 cm) x 27.56 in high (70 cm). View: 38.98 in wide (99 cm) x 25.59 in high (65 cm). Note: Listed as a Historic Monument in 1840, the Saint-Pierre d'Avon church (77) was built in the 12th century, its bell tower in the 13th century, and the choir and the portal in the 16th century. The porch where parish benefactress Madame de Maintenon...
Category

Late 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil, Ink, Watercolor

Head of a Monk – Preparatory Study, Atelier of Enrico Reffo
Located in Firenze, IT
Study of a Kneeling Figure, from the Circle of Enrico Reffo Charcoal on lightly toned paper 47 x 32 cm Late 19th – early 20th century From the atelier of one of Reffo’s pupils This ...
Category

Late 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil, Carbon Pencil

Italian School Study for the Head of a Saint. Study of Enrico Reffo (1831-1917)
Located in Firenze, IT
Study for the Head of a Monk Attributed to Enrico Reffo Charcoal and white chalk on ochre-toned paper Size: 39 x 32 cm Italy, late 19th - early 20th century This drawing belongs to ...
Category

Late 19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Carbon Pencil

Academic Study for the Head of an Apostle or Saint
Located in Firenze, IT
Study for the Head of an Apostle or Saint Artist: Enrico Reffo (1831-1917) Medium: Charcoal and white chalk on colored paper Dimensions: [To be specified] Date: Late 19th - Early 20...
Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Carbon Pencil

The Paris Hotel de Ville , Watercolor signed Signed E. Galien Laloue, circa 1920
Located in Paris, FR
View of Paris: The Hotel de Ville banks and the statue of Etienne Marcel under Snow Watercolor Signed E. Galien Laloue, circa 1910-1920 Appraisal by Mr Noé Willer. (Will figurate in...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Vogue Magazine Illustration Turn of the Century - Woman Illustrator
Located in Miami, FL
Early in the artist's career most likely for Vogue Magazine. Signed lower left. Helen Dryden (1882–1972) was an American artist and successful industrial designer in the 1920s and 1...
Category

1910s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

India Ink, Pencil, Graphite, Gouache

'Nymph with a Centaur', French School, Academic, Greek Mythological Grisaille
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
An exceptionally fine, brush and wash, mythological figural study showing a centaur interrupting the playing of his pan pipes to cast a speculative eye towards a dancing nymph. Datin...
Category

Early 1900s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Illustration Board

Auf dem Lötschpass (1919) by Albert Nyfeler - Watercolor on paper 26x36 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Watercolor on art paper framed and signed Total size with frame: 52x40 cm Albert Nyfeler (September 26, 1883 in Lünisberg, † June 14, 1969 in Burgdo...
Category

1910s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Nude back (1978) - Ink on paper 46x63 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
China Ink Signed H. Balslaecj (artist unknown from the gallery) and dated 1978 Pastel wooden frame with plexiglas Total size with frame: 75x57x6 cm
Category

1970s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Tribute to Degas Ballerina : Sitting female nude - Ink drawing - circa 1916
Located in Paris, IDF
Georges CONRAD (1874-1936) Tribute to Degas Ballerina : Sitting female nude Original India ink and pencil drawing Signed with the stamp of atelier On...
Category

1910s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

India Ink, Pencil

'Still Life, Red Tulips with Japanese Porcelain', Belgian Lace, Japonaiserie
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
An extremely finely-drawn pastel still life showing red tulips informally arranged in a Chelsea Chocolate pot decorated in the Japanese style beside a cup and saucer of similar desig...
Category

1890s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

French 19th Century Romantic Period 1830s Paris Society Beauty Portrait
Located in Norwich, GB
A astounding portrait of a society beauty by Adele Grasset (active ca 1830-1850). With an open face and and lightly smiling lips, she is wearing a gown typical of the romantic period. Drawn in graphite and heightened with white, the drawing is dated 1836 As often with woman artists of the 18th and 19th century, there is little biographical information available on Adèle Grasset. We do know however, that she had studied with the highly prominent artist François Gérard (1770-1837) , known also as the Baron Gérard...
Category

1830s Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Gouache

Young boy with carafe by Heinrich Rettig - Watercolor on paper 60x76 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Watercolor on paper sold with frame Total size with frame 73x89 cm Heinrich RETTIG is an artist born in Germany in 1859 and died in 1921. His works have been sold at public auction ...
Category

Early 20th Century Academic Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Academic drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Academic drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Georges Conrad, Jean Baptiste Édouard Detaille, and Ben Fenske. Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Academic drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 2.56 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11 and tops out at $288,500, while the average work sells for $754.

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