Skip to main content

Academic Figurative 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. 

to
51
62
51
58
59
65
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
10
147
73
65
8
6
7
9
6
7
5
4
2
2
1
15,912
5,217
3,563
3,363
1,536
1,414
1,316
1,230
538
482
379
184
87
58
160
125
9
245
159
76
65
59
43
30
23
22
20
19
16
16
11
11
11
10
8
8
8
285
262
142
142
28
8
4
4
4
4
205
5
226
64
Style: Academic
Wounded Achilles En Grisaille Oil on Canvas Painting by Philip Melville Courtney

Wounded Achilles En Grisaille Oil on Canvas Painting by Philip Melville Courtney

By Philip Melville Courtney

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Classical Male Nude Painting, After the Antique — Inspired by Wounded Achilles Oil on Canvas, Contemporary This exceptional en grisaille oil on canvas figurative painting is inspired...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Large Antique French 19th Century Oil Canvas Painting "Hearts Awakening" Cherubs
Large Antique French 19th Century Oil Canvas Painting "Hearts Awakening" Cherubs

Large Antique French 19th Century Oil Canvas Painting "Hearts Awakening" Cherubs

By William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Located in Portland, OR

A fine late 19th century oil on canvas painting, circa of William-Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905). Oil on canvas painting depicting a woman with two cherubs in a garden. After...

Category

1890s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

“Tipos”
“Tipos”

“Tipos”

Located in Southampton, NY

Oil paint on heavy illustration board by the Spanish artist, Cecilio Pla. Signed lower right. Titled and signed verso. “Tipos” means types; different type...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Illustration Board

Male Nude with Plinth — Large En Grisaille Oil on Canvas of Gesture Sketch 40x54
Male Nude with Plinth — Large En Grisaille Oil on Canvas of Gesture Sketch 40x54

Male Nude with Plinth — Large En Grisaille Oil on Canvas of Gesture Sketch 40x54

By Philip Melville Courtney

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Standing Male Nude with Implied Plinth — En Grisaille Oil By Philip Melville Courtney This commanding large-scale en grisaille oil on canvas by American painter and technical master ...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Ocean Serene, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Ocean Serene, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Ocean Serene, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind. Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2024 Style: Impressionism Title: Ocean Serene Size: 31.5" x 39.5" x ...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

La Baigneuse - Academic Nude Figure in Landscape Oil by Paul Emile Chabas
La Baigneuse - Academic Nude Figure in Landscape Oil by Paul Emile Chabas

La Baigneuse - Academic Nude Figure in Landscape Oil by Paul Emile Chabas

By Paul Emile Chabas

Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Signed oil on canvas nude figure in landscape circa 1910 by French academic painter Paul Emile Chabas. The piece depicts a nude woman bathing under a tree in a lake. The sky above th...

Category

1910s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Prosperous Family: Academic Figurative Painting by Mark Beard aka Bruce Sargeant
Prosperous Family: Academic Figurative Painting by Mark Beard aka Bruce Sargeant

Prosperous Family: Academic Figurative Painting by Mark Beard aka Bruce Sargeant

By Mark Beard

Located in Hudson, NY

Academic style figurative painting on canvas of a family and red tractor against a classic American farm field "Prosperous Family", painted by Mark Beard under his fictitious persona, Bruce Sargeant 84 x 58 inches unframed, 91 x 65 x 3 inches with a gold painted wood frame Excellent condition, ready to hang as is This Academic style figurative oil painting on canvas was painted by Mark Beard as Bruce Sargeant, a pseudonym in homage to the fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, and figurative painter, John Singer Sargeant. Here, the artist captures a blue collar American farming family in their field with an old red tractor. The man and woman stand stoically with their young child, dressed in simple white garments, perhaps to symbolize their purity. Rolling mountains...

Category

Early 2000s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pegasus and Bellerophon Large Oil Painting on Canvas by Philip Melville Courtney
Pegasus and Bellerophon Large Oil Painting on Canvas by Philip Melville Courtney

Pegasus and Bellerophon Large Oil Painting on Canvas by Philip Melville Courtney

By Philip Melville Courtney

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Pegasus and Bellerophon — En Grisaille Oil on Canvas, after a 16th-Century Italian Relief This large-scale oil on canvas painting by acclaimed American artist Philip Melville Courtn...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mythological or Allegorical Scene w Bathing Female Figure Oil on Canvas, Framed
Mythological or Allegorical Scene w Bathing Female Figure Oil on Canvas, Framed

Mythological or Allegorical Scene w Bathing Female Figure Oil on Canvas, Framed

Located in Plainview, NY

Mythological or Allegorical Scene w Bathing Female Figure Oil on Canvas, Framed A dramatic and highly detailed figurative oil painting depicting a narrative scene of a nude female f...

Category

20th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Virgin Mary and Child Jesus oil on canvas painting
Virgin Mary and Child Jesus oil on canvas painting

Virgin Mary and Child Jesus oil on canvas painting

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Title: Virgin Mary and Child Jesus Artist: Francisco Ribera Gómez (1907-1990) Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 31.9 x 25.6 inches (unframed) Date of creation: 1942 Style: Classical Academicism with Renaissance influences Description of the Artwork The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus in a tender and intimate moment. Warm colors, primarily reds, greens, and soft flesh tones, enhance the devotional nature of the scene. The use of golden halos, symbolizing sanctity, along with serene and realistic expressions, directly connects with the Renaissance pictorial tradition. The style belongs to classical academicism, characterized by a balanced composition, meticulous drawing, and a masterful use of chiaroscuro to give volume and depth to the figures. The detailed rendering of the flesh tones and draperies amplifies the spirituality and solemnity of the piece, evoking the works of great masters such as Raphael and Murillo. Artist's Biography Francisco Ribera Gómez (1907-1990) was a prominent 20th-century Spanish painter known for his depictions of religious scenes, female portraits, and costumbrist works. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Ribera Gómez received numerous accolades and was regarded as one of the great exponents of Spanish academicism. His work combines a rigorous technical foundation with luminous sensitivity and an idealized sense of beauty. Influences and Comparisons Francisco Ribera Gómez's work can be compared to other academic and religious artists who share a similar aesthetic: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: In the emotional and approachable treatment of religious themes. William-Adolphe Bouguereau: For the idealization of human figures and technical mastery. Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio): For harmonious composition and the depiction of the Virgin Mary. Within the Spanish tradition, his style recalls Eduardo Rosales...

Category

1940s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Painter's Studio original painting by Paula Craioveanu oil on canvas Framed
The Painter's Studio original painting by Paula Craioveanu oil on canvas Framed

The Painter's Studio original painting by Paula Craioveanu oil on canvas Framed

By Paula Craioveanu

Located in Forest Hills, NY

"The Painter's Studio", oil on canvas, 39x27.5in / 100x70cm The artist's studio and art objects part of artist' life and work. A sculpture, an antique head and a painting that remin...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

An 18th-19th Century Oil on Canvas "The Triumph of Venice" After Paolo Veronese
An 18th-19th Century Oil on Canvas "The Triumph of Venice" After Paolo Veronese

An 18th-19th Century Oil on Canvas "The Triumph of Venice" After Paolo Veronese

By Paolo Veronese

Located in LA, CA

A very fine and Large Italian 18th-19th century oval-shaped oil on canvas titled "The Triumph of Venice" After the original work by Paolo Veronese (Venice, 1528-1588). The original of this painting hangs in the Palazzo Ducale, Venice. The 'Ricci' coloration suggests a late 17th-early 18th century date. In 1715 Charles de la Fosse advised Ricci to paint only "Veroneses and no more Riccis", Venice, circa 1800. Measures: Height: 45 1/4 inches (115 cm). Width: 29 inches (73.7 cm). Frame height: 58 1/4 inches (147.9 cm). Frame width: 43 1/4 inches (109.9 cm). Frame depth: 5 1/4 (13.3 cm). Provenance: Royal Academy of Scotland. Paolo Veronese (Born 1528, Verona, Republic of Venice - died April 9, 1588, Venice) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at...

Category

19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Happy Day, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Happy Day, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Happy Day, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2021 Style: Impressionism Title: Happy Day Size: 31.5" x 43" x 1'' in...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Untitled 12, " Charcoal Drawing

"Untitled 12, " Charcoal Drawing

By Mark Bradley Schwartz

Located in Denver, CO

Mark Bradley Schwartz's (US based) "Untitled 12" is an original, handmade charcoal drawing that depicts a woman in profile with her long dark hair draped over her right shoulder with...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Very Fine Oil on Canvas Interior Palatial Scene Titled "Game for the Cardinal"
A Very Fine Oil on Canvas Interior Palatial Scene Titled "Game for the Cardinal"

A Very Fine Oil on Canvas Interior Palatial Scene Titled "Game for the Cardinal"

By Charles Edouard Edmond Delort

Located in LA, CA

Charles Edouard Edmond Delort (French, 1841-1895) oil on canvas "Game for the Cardinal", depicting a seated cardinal behind an ornate French Louis XV roll-top Bureau du Roi, after th...

Category

19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Beach, Coastal, Impressionism, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind
Beach, Coastal, Impressionism, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind

Beach, Coastal, Impressionism, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2019 Style: Impressionism Title: Beach Size: 24" x 30" x 0.8'' inch, ...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Magnificent early 20th Century Oil Painting of Race horses - At the Gallops
Magnificent early 20th Century Oil Painting of Race horses - At the Gallops

Magnificent early 20th Century Oil Painting of Race horses - At the Gallops

By Julius von Blaas

Located in London, GB

Julius von Blaas (1845-1923) At The Gallops circa 1905 Oil on canvas Signed and dated “Julius von Blass / 1905” (lower left) 110 x 200 cm (140 x 230 cms framed ish) This enormous and grand depiction of horses exercising is an iconic image not only of the edwardien era but also of today’s racing elite. Julius von Blaas was taught by his father Carl von Blaas (1815-1994) and trained in Venice, Florence and Rome. He was also influenced by his celebrated brother Eugen von Blaas...

Category

Early 20th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Pre World War II Austrian Judaica Oil Painting Hasidic Rabbi Portrait
Pre World War II Austrian Judaica Oil Painting Hasidic Rabbi Portrait

Pre World War II Austrian Judaica Oil Painting Hasidic Rabbi Portrait

By Rudolf Klinsbogl Klingsberg

Located in Surfside, FL

Rudolf KLINGSBÖGL Austrian Viennese painter and teacher. Chassidic rebbe with Shtreimel. Klingsbogl was active in Vienna and is known for his typical portraits and paintings of interiors - workshops, pubs and cellars. His style is very distinctive. rare to find good jewish work that survived the holocaust as so much of it was destroyed. Other works by Rudolf Klingsbogl (sometimes known as Klingsberg}: Rabbis Studying Around a Table, The Huntsman, The Pet Bird, Blacksmith Interior Scene, Three Men with Chat and Drink, The Sailors, The Old Drinker, Debating the News, Sunday Afternoon, Man Looking at Pocket Watch. Game of Cards in a Tavern, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a Child, Franz Schubert at the Piano, Johann Strauss (The Younger). Realistic portrait of an older rabbi visiting and blessing a child in a European marketplace...

Category

Early 20th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Immaculate Conception oil on canvas painting
Immaculate Conception oil on canvas painting

Immaculate Conception oil on canvas painting

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Title: Immaculate Conception Author: Anonymous Period: 20th Century Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 25.6 x 21.3 in Signature: "Karmel" (lower right) Condition: Good Descr...

Category

1980s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

On the Beach, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
On the Beach, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

On the Beach, Figurative, Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2021 Style: Impressionism Title: On the Beach Size: 31.5" x 45" x 1''...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

At the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
At the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

At the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind. Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2024 Style: Impressionism Title: At the Beach Size: 31.5" x 39.5" x ...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

By William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Located in New Orleans, LA

William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1825-1905 French Jeune mère contemplant deux enfants qui s'embrassent (Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children) Signed “W-Bouguereau” (bottom ...

Category

19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Study for Ruth Gathering Wheat 19th Century Large Antique Oil Painting on Canvas
Study for Ruth Gathering Wheat 19th Century Large Antique Oil Painting on Canvas

Study for Ruth Gathering Wheat 19th Century Large Antique Oil Painting on Canvas

Located in Jacksonville, FL

Study for Ruth Gathering Wheat The Painting is monogrammed bottom left side Provenance: Notes: This is the full scale version of Ruth in Pharoah's Fields exhibited at the Royal Academy (now lost). Exhibited at the Bristol Art Museum, Birmingham UK Private Collection, Detroit, MI Description: Sir Edwin Long (1829-1891) was a renowned British painter known for his historical and Orientalist artworks. Born in Bath, England, Long displayed exceptional artistic talent from an early age. He received formal training at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where he honed his skills and developed his distinctive style. One of Long’s oil paintings...

Category

19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Sunset on the River”
“Sunset on the River”

“Sunset on the River”

Located in Southampton, NY

Beautifully painted sunset on the river with a single figure in a punt and cattle crossing by the American artist, George Riecke. Most likely a New Orlea...

Category

1890s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Portrait of Arthur W. Smith, Esq. " James Carroll Beckwith, Society Portrait
"Portrait of Arthur W. Smith, Esq. " James Carroll Beckwith, Society Portrait

"Portrait of Arthur W. Smith, Esq. " James Carroll Beckwith, Society Portrait

By James Carroll Beckwith

Located in New York, NY

James Carroll Beckwith Portrait of Arthur W. Smith, Esq., 1909 Signed and dated upper left; signed, titled, and dated on the reverse Oil on canvas 30 x 25 inches Provenance Private ...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Pompeian Lady
A Pompeian Lady

A Pompeian Lady

By John William Godward

Located in New Orleans, LA

John William Godward 1861-1922 British A Pompeian Lady Signed and dated "J.W. Godward 1904" (lower right, partially covered by frame) Oil on canvas One of the last and greatest Victorian neoclassical painters, John William Godward is celebrated for his flawlessly executed images of graceful women posed in idealized ancient settings. In this work, entitled A Pompeian Lady, a classical beauty is caught idling in a moment of quiet, solitary reflection. Godward's elegant subjects are depicted with a degree of technical mastery that remains unsurpassed, and the work's dramatic palette, luxurious fabrics and classical vision are all characteristics of his unique take on the neoclassical style. Godward was unmatched in terms of his technical skill and attention to detail. A master of contrasting textures, he paints a diaphanous gown draping against the model’s smooth, milky white skin, which sits against the painstakingly rendered individual hairs of a tiger’s pel. Scintillating color permeates the canvas as well, energizing the otherwise static scene. Each element is given careful attention, and the overall effect is one of both immaculate technique and sensual tactility. Along with his contemporary and mentor, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Godward set the tone for the Victorian neoclassicist movement. He built his career upon creating images of idealized feminine beauty infused with a Greco-Roman-inspired style. Though greatly influenced by Alma-Tadema, Godward distinguished himself through his predilection for the solitary female figure. His fame rose dramatically in the first few years of the 20th century, when the present work was completed, due to the burgeoning strength of the British Empire and the Victorian society’s preoccupation with ancient Rome. To many of the newly affluent, Roman society was, as Iain Gale writes, “a flawless mirror of their own immaculate world.” The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops...

Category

Early 20th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mythological scene, study for the Prize of Rome 1864, French academism, Homer
Mythological scene, study for the Prize of Rome 1864, French academism, Homer

Mythological scene, study for the Prize of Rome 1864, French academism, Homer

Located in Norwich, GB

This rare mythological scene depicting the Greek author Homer on the island of Scyros. You will notice the Trojan War being fought in the background. Our painting, dating from 1864, is unsigned, but has a solid attribution to academic artist Henri-Léopold Lévy...

Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Little Prayer
A Little Prayer

A Little Prayer

Located in Naples, Florida

Signed lower left “Francis Day” This painting titled A Little Prayer is an oil on canvas work measuring 30 × 36 inches. The stretcher verso bears a pencil inscription re...

Category

1920s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Performance, Figurative Surrealism, Original oil Painting
Performance, Figurative Surrealism, Original oil Painting

Performance, Figurative Surrealism, Original oil Painting

By Ashot Yan

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ashot Yan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2018 Style: Surrealism, Title: Performance Size: 23.5" x 23.5" x 1'' inch,...

Category

2010s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Sans titre (1881), James Drummond, R.S.A., F.S.A.
Sans titre (1881), James Drummond, R.S.A., F.S.A.

Sans titre (1881), James Drummond, R.S.A., F.S.A.

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: James Drummond, R.S.A., F.S.A. (1816-1877) Title: Sans titre (1881) Year: 1881 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 37 x 29 inches Inscription: Hand signed and dated, recto Provenance...

Category

1880s Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"A Surprising Visit"  19th Century Antique European  Oil Painting on Canvas
"A Surprising Visit"  19th Century Antique European  Oil Painting on Canvas

"A Surprising Visit" 19th Century Antique European Oil Painting on Canvas

By Eduardo Leon Garrido

Located in Jacksonville, FL

A Surprising Visit" by Eduardo León Garrido (Spanish, 1856-1949) invites viewers into a sumptuous journey through 19th-century European luxury. Eduardo León Garrido, a distinguished Spanish artist born in 1856 and leaving an artistic legacy until 1949, displayed a remarkable ability to capture the essence of his time through his brushstrokes. This antique masterpiece, rendered in oil on panel and measuring 22 1/2 x 29 3/4 inches, unveils a world of opulence within a Royal European...

Category

19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Academic figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Academic figurative 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 figurative 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, red, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Mark Beard, Kyna de Schouël, Elizabeth Zanzinger, and Delphin Enjolras. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil 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 figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 4.93 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative 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 $280 and tops out at $595,000, while the average work sells for $7,158.