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.
'Still Life, Red Tulips with Japanese Porcelain', Belgian Lace, Japonaiserie
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
A finely-drawn, pastel still-life showing red tulips informally arranged in a Chelsea soft paste porcelain Chocolate pot decorated in the Japanese style and set beside a cup and sauc...
Gold Leaf
$380Sale Price|20% Off
“Forbidden Stitch Chinese Embroidery”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a vintage Chinese forbidden stitch silk embroidery metallic couching textile badge on a pure silk panel. Under glass. C...
Silk, Thread
$460Sale Price|20% Off
Food and the War! Original c. 1918 World War 1 vintage poster
Located in Spokane, WA
Original poster: Food and the War! American wheat to win! Rare and very seldom seen original World War 1 authentic vintage poster. Archi...
Lithograph
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Portrait of the Black Ball Clipper Montezuma"
Located in Southampton, NY
Watercolor on paper by William Minshall Birchall of the black ball clipper ship, the Montezuma. Titled and signed W. M. Birchall lower left in pencil. Findlay Gallery label verso. 0riginal frame and mat with normal wear due to age. The American packet ship...
Paper, Watercolor
"Nude Sketch No. 3" early academic figure drawing by Ben Fenske, unframed
By Ben Fenske
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
An academic drawing of a female nude figure sitting atop a flat surface. He highlights the body with white chalk. She leans on one arm and the other rests behind her torso. Artist B...
Paper, Charcoal
$760Sale Price|20% Off
“William Shakespeare”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original high profile wax cameo of William Shakespeare. Unsigned. Composed of natural and colored wax. Condition is very good. Most likely of British origin. Original shadow box fra...
Wax
$640Sale Price|20% Off
“Pietra Dura Male Dancer”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original pietra dura handmade mosaic plaque composed of marble and other exotic stone of a traditionally clad dancing male figure holding an horn. Circa 1950. Condition is excellent....
Stone
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
“Pietra Dura Lakeside Villa with Figure”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original, elaborately executed pietra dura mosaic plaque of a lakeside Italian villa with boat and figure. Consisting of various marble and exotic stone. Circa 1950. Condition is e...
Stone
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
“Pietra Dura Old Mill with Figure”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original pietra dura mosaic plaque of an old mill with figure. Composed of marble and other exotic stone. Condition is excellent. Circa 1950. Unsigned. G. Ugolini paper label verso....
Stone
$640Sale Price|20% Off
“Pietra Dura Female Dancer”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original pietra dura handmade mosaic plaque composed of marble and other exotic stone of a traditionally clad dancing female figure holding an horn. Circa 1950. Condition is excellen...
Stone
Madonna del Dito - Heavenly beauty down to the fingertip -
Located in Berlin, DE
KPM, Madonna del Dito, oval, slightly curved porcelain picture plate by KPM Berlin in fine polychrome onglaze painting, 27 x 22 cm (plate size), 33 x 28.5 cm (frame), unsigned, press...
Porcelain, Oil
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
"Young Woman with Headdress"
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a late 19th century needlepoint, petitepoint and beaded portrait of a young woman. It is a highly detailed and meticulously crafted beaded portrait wi...
Other Medium
Ballroom Dancers II - Charcoal, Figurative, Fabric, Movement, Human Form
By Trudy Good
Located in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh
Ballroom Dancers II by Trudy Good. Original Charcoal & Pastel onto paper. Trudy Good is a British figurative painter who has exhibited in numerous pla...
Charcoal, Pastel
$2,665
Ballroom Dancers - Charcoal, Figurative, Fabric, Movement, Human Form, British
By Trudy Good
Located in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh
Ballroom Dancers by Trudy Good. Original Charcoal & Pastel onto paper. Trudy Good is a British figurative painter who has exhibited in numerous plac...
Charcoal, Pastel
$4,000
H 22 in W 20 in
Zone, vibrant, jewel-like, diaphanous strips of fabric collages
Located in New York, NY
Linda Kamille Schmidt plays with emotional connections and memory in her smaller, framed works. In their encasements, each collage appears as a portal; a...
Fabric, Thread, Plastic, Pins
Studio di mano (study of hand) – Florentine School 18th century
Located in Middletown, NY
Red chalk on cream laid paper, 7 1/4 x 9 3/8 inches (182 x 236 mm), the full sheet. In very good condition with minor toning and two small nicks in the top sheet edge. Some modern no...
Crayon, Laid Paper
$15,000
H 11.5 in W 9.5 in D 1.2 in
Andy Warhol - Exposures (Deluxe Edition) Hardback Monograph LtEd Hand Signed #1
By Andy Warhol
Located in New York, NY
Andy Warhol Deluxe Collectors' Edition of Exposures (Hand Signed and Numbered), 1979 Hardcover Monograph in leather with gilt edge and stamped in gilt. Hand signed by Andy Warhol on...
Mixed Media, Graphite, Lithograph, Offset
KAWS Tension Bearbrick 400% (KAWS Tension Be@rbrick)
By KAWS
Located in NEW YORK, NY
KAWS Tension Bearbrick 400%: This much sought-after KAWS Tension Be@rbrick figure features the artist's signature "X"’s and bright lush colors synonymous with his more abstract works on canvas. Accompanied by its original box with an authenticating hologram on the lower reverse, this sold-out limited run work was published in Japan upon the debut of the ‘KAWS Tokyo...
Resin, Vinyl
"Daffodils in Ceramic Pitcher"
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a beautiful watercolor still life on heavy paper by the German artist, E. Riehle. Signed and dated lower right, 1903. In good condition with it's orig...
Paper, Watercolor
$93
H 7.88 in W 5.12 in D 2.37 in
Just the Two of Us Palm Wax Candle, Sculptural Design, 20 cm Tall
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
"Just the Two of Us" Palm Wax Candle This artsy candle Just the Two of Us is created in the shape of a ceramic sculpture by Ukrainian artist Sofia Horbachevska. The set includes wo...
Wax
Studio di piede (study of foot) – Florentine School 18th century
Located in Middletown, NY
Red chalk on cream laid paper, 6 3/8 x 7 inches (160 x 176 mm), the full sheet. In very good condition with minor toning and some modern notations in pencil on the verso, as well as ...
Crayon, Laid Paper
$3,950
H 40 in W 55 in D 1 in
Futuristic Rio Slum, Original Mixed Media Art, Pop Art, 21st Century
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
**NEW YEAR FINAL 90 DAYS SUPER SALE UNTIL MARCH 31ST** **STORE CLOSURE - UP TO 80% OFF - TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT** **EVERYTHING MUST GO UNTIL APRIL1ST!** ...
Resin, Glitter, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$1,950
H 39 in W 23 in
Damien Hirst Signed Lithograph "The Currency" Contemporary Modern Street Art
By Damien Hirst
Located in Draper, UT
These hand signed lithograph prints were only made available to "HOLDERS" of the Currency prints. Less than 1000 were hand signed by Damien Hirst a...
Lithograph
Forward Pass
Located in New York, NY
Lithograph on wove paper, 1972. Signed by the artist in pencil, lower right. Inscribed "Ed. 250" in pencil, lower left. Published by Associated American Artists, New York. Catalog...
Lithograph
Sand & Sea
Located in Phoenix, AZ
encaustic on panel b. 1954, Reno Nevada Michael David is best known for his use of encaustic on large abstract paintings. A practitioner of Abstract Expressionism, David layers bees...
Wood, Wax, Encaustic, Oil
Object (with Flaw)
Located in New York, NY
Color lithograph in two parts, on two separate sheets of Arches 88 paper, these two sheets comprise two of the four parts of the original "Object (with Flaw)" publication, 1988. One...
Lithograph, Color
Sold
H 27.56 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
A pair of Regency 12 inch celestial and terrestrial globes, early 19th c
By John & William Cary
Located in New York, NY
The firm of Cary was established in the late 18th century by John Cary (c.1754-1835), a noted map seller, and his brother William (c.1759-1825), an optician and nautical instrument m...
Wood
“Still Life with Peaches”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil pastel on archival paper by Patricia Caseman. Signed in pencil lower left and dated 1975. No biography found for this artist. Very well ...
Oil Pastel, Archival Paper
Rialto Bridge, Venice by Dellal, 1950
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful oil on canvas of the 50’s figuring a peaceful view of the Rialto on the Grand Canal in Venezia. The oil is in good condition with some old réfections visible in the back. The painting is signed on the bottom right Delall and countersigned on the back. It comes with a charming old gilted and ornamented in Barocco style...
Oil, Canvas
20th Cent French landscape by Jeanine Leblanc
By Jeanine Leblanc
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful Jeanine Leblanc oil on canvas representing the Seine river banks with a view of the Levallois Port with its boats, nearby Paris. In a very good general condition with i...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 24.41 in W 28.75 in D 1.19 in
French Rice Gauche oil Painting by Lucien Delarue,
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas signed by Lucien Delarue famous for his Parisian landscapes . It shows an aerial view of Paris by 1860, the left bank To be Gauche and the Ile Saint Louis . In a very ...
Oil, Wood Panel
Nature Morte Vase des Fleurs
By Joseph Bobigny
Located in Paris, FR
Very beautiful French school painting of the early 20th century representing a floral arrangement of roses and lilies in a vase. A beautiful work réalised with delicacy and a choice...
Oil, Canvas
Sold
H 14.57 in W 17.72 in D 1.19 in
French Marina Mediterranean Sea Night Landscape Painting by R. Mugler, 1940's
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful French Night Marina landscape, oil on canvas representing a beautiful moment of the Mediteranean Sea by night .it is signed on the left bottom and dated 1944. In a very...
Oil, Wood Panel
Sold
H 25.6 in W 29.53 in D 1.19 in
20th Cent French landscape by Jeanine Leblanc
By Jeanine Leblanc
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful Jeanine Leblanc oil on canvas representing the Seine river banks with a view of the Levallois Port with its boats, nearby Paris. In a very good general condition with i...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
19th Cent French Still Life by L. Judenne
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful 19th Century French School oil on canvas signed on the right by L. Judenne and dated 1900. The painting represents a floral composition .in a very good general condition, ...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
19th Cent French Still Life by E.Ferté
Located in Paris, FR
Charming 19th century French School representing a floral composition signed by école E. Ferté and dated 1887. With its original frame. Dimensions : With frame 28cm x 23 cm Withou...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 24.41 in W 28.75 in D 1.19 in
French Rice Gauche oil Painting by Lucien Delarue,
Located in Paris, FR
Oil on canvas signed by Lucien Delarue famous for his Parisian landscapes . It shows an aerial view of Paris by 1860, the left bank To be Gauche and the Ile Saint Louis . In a very ...
Oil, Wood Panel
Bouddha
Located in Nice, FR
Chinese Bouddha, polychrome terracotta.