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.
Frederick Goodall R.A Bedouins in the Desert Oil on Canvas Orientalist Painting
Located in Plainview, NY
Frederick Goodall R.A Bedouins in the Desert Oil on Canvas Orientalist Painting , unsigned This evocative Victorian Orientalist oil on canvas by Frederick Goodall R.A. (British, 18...
Oil
$497Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of a Horse in Profile
By Robert Ladou
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 ...
Pencil
Teaching him a New Trick
Located in Mc Lean, VA
19th Century Dutch
Canvas, Oil
$883Sale Price|20% Off
Siblings Hugging Tondo Painting, Mid-19th Century, Framed Oil on Board
Located in GB
The painting is round in shape, a tondo, which was a style sometimes favoured in the 19th century for its intimacy and decorative appeal. It depicts two siblings: the older sister cr...
Oil, Board
La Fille Du Pêcheur By William Bouguereau
Located in New Orleans, LA
William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1825-1905 French La fille du pêcheur (The Fisherman’s Daughter) Signed and dated “W-Bouguereau-1882” (middle right) Oil on canvas William Bouguereau's...
Canvas, Oil
$1,120Sale Price|30% Off
Venice, Architecture, Cityscape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Venice Size: 16" x 21.5" x 0.8'' inc...
Canvas, Oil
$2,644Sale Price|20% Off
Woman with Cameo, Academic Oil Painting, Mid-19th Century, Framed
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas Original frame This portrait of a woman with a cameo is a beautiful example of 19th-century classical painting, showcasing the refinement and elegance of its time. The...
Oil
French Landscape painting Mountain Alps Academic Attributed to THUILLIER 19th
Located in PARIS, FR
Pierre Thuillier (Attributed to) Amiens, 1799 – Paris, 1858 Landscape with moutains Oil on canvas 25 x 37 cm (45 x 54 cm with frame) Traces of a signature lower left, barely legible...
Oil
Taxi Service Ashot, 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: 2014 Style: Figurative Surrealism, Subject: Taxi Service Ashot, Size: 27.5...
Canvas, Oil
Antoni Costa Woman original Figurative Academician drawing painting
By A. Costa
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
woman. original figurative academician drawing painting Barcelona, 1904 - Barcelona, 1965 It was formed in Buenos Aires, in the Circle of San Lucas of Barcelona and the FAD. He was ...
Pencil
$7,602
La Couturiere - Academic Portrait Oil Painting by Tony Robert-Fleury
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas portrait circa 1890 by French academic painter Tony Robert-Fleury. The work depicts a young red-headed woman wearing in a white dress with blue trim. She is stti...
Canvas, Oil
$12,000
"The Cedars" Lemuel Maynard Wiles, American Scene, Estate, Skyscape
Located in New York, NY
Lemuel Wiles The Cedars, 1869 Signed and dated lower right Oil on canvas 12 1/8 x 20 1/4 inches Lemuel Maynard Wiles (1826–1905) was an American landscape painter associated with t...
Canvas, Oil
$1,500Sale Price|25% Off
Autumn Valley, Landscape Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Autumn Valley Size: 15.5" x 22" x 0....
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of Lady
Located in London, GB
John Westbrooke Chandler 1763- 1807 Oil on canvas Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76 x 63.5 cm) Original gilt swept frame This portrait is marked by its loose brushwork, which creates a...
Canvas, Oil
$2,814Sale Price|20% Off
Young Italian woman in traditional dress holding a tambourine
Located in Genève, GE
This superb 19th-century portrait depicts a young Italian woman in traditional dress, holding a tambourine, a symbol of music and popular celebration. Dressed in a white shirt with ...
Oil, Canvas
Painting 19th Century Flowers
By Louis Adolphe Tessier
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
TESSIER Louis Adolphe (1858-1915)Flowers Oil on canvas signed low right and dated 1893 Old original frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 53 X 67 cm Dim frame : 78 X 91 cm Certificat...
Oil
Venice The Lagoon, Painting 19th Century
By Alfred August Felix Bachman
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
BACHMANN Alfred Félix August (1863-1956) Venice Lagoon and Doge Palace Oil on canvas signed Low Right Frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 73 X 54 cm Dim frame : 78 X 95 cm ...
Oil
La Carmencita by John Singer Sargent
By John Singer Sargent
Located in New Orleans, LA
John Singer Sargent 1856-1925 American Stamped by artist's estate (en verso) Oil on canvas John Singer Sargent, widely regarded as one of history's most distinguished portraitists...
Canvas, Oil
$2,644Sale Price|20% Off
Late 19th Century Academic Oil Painting of Seated Man
Located in Genève, GE
This painting depicts a portrait of a man of great dignity, typical of the academic tradition of the 19th century. The artist has captured his model in a sober and solemn pose: seate...
Oil, Canvas
$708Sale Price|20% Off
Óleo sobre tela - Retrato de caballero con sombrero
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado en la parte inferior (desconozco el artista) Se presenta sin enmarcar la pintura El estado de la pintura es aceptable Medidas obra: 58 x 48 cm.
Oil
$4,000Sale Price|20% Off
Ocean Cliffs, Seascape Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Ocean Cliffs Size: 29.5" x 39.5" x 0...
Canvas, Oil
CLASSICAL Antique PRE-RAPHEALITE Grecian Ladies on a MARBLE Painted TERRACE
By Henry Ryland
Located in New York, NY
Ryland studied under Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant (1845-1902), Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888), and Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) in Paris, and also at the South Kensington Art Sc...
Watercolor
Study for Roses Du Matin
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist. Signed "AG" on lower left corner Dimensions Framed: 13.5" x 15.5" x 2.5"; Unframed: 7.875" x 10" Exhibited Artist's Ch...
Oil, Panel
Henri CAUCHOIS - Paintings 19th century - Flowers in Pair
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
CAUCHOIS Eugène Henri (1850-1911) Still Life of Flowers in pair 2 Oils on canvas signed low New golden frames Dim canvas (each) : 46 X 38 cm Dim frame : (each) : 55 X 47 cm CAUCHOIS...
Oil
Harbor, Seascape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Subject: Harbor, Size: 8.5" x 12" x 0.8'' ...
Canvas, Oil
Hunting Scene by Sir Alfred J. Munnings
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sir Alfred James Munnings 1878-1959 British Hunting Scene Signed “A J Munnings” (lower right) Oil on board The exciting atmosphere of the hunt is masterfully captured in this ex...
Oil, Board
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
“Sailboats off the Coast”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on academy board by the well known American marine artist, Franklin Dullen Briscoe. Signed lower right. (Under gold liner) Circa 1885. C...
Oil, Fiberboard
"Still Life with Cherries, Grapes" Annie L. Morgan, Academic Fruit Still Life
Located in New York, NY
Annie L. Morgan Still Life with Cherries, Grapes, and Pomegranate, circa 1880 Signed lower left Oil on canvas 20 x 16 inches
Canvas, Oil
“Double Portrait”
Located in Southampton, NY
Beautiful original oil on canvas double portrait painting of a young boy and girl with cat (moist likely brother and sister) attributed to the hand of American artist, John Carlin. ...
Canvas, Oil
Marine with Characters
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Maurice BAUDIN (19th Century) Marine "L'Escaut near Anvers" (Belgium) Oil on canvas signed and dated 1893 low left Old frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 38 X 70 cm - Dim frame : ...
Oil
Hunting scene with Dogs and Deer
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
SCHOUTEN Henri (1864-1927) « Hunting scene with Dogs and Deer » - Oil on canvas signed low left - Dim canvas : 60 X 90 cm - Dim frame : 85 X 124 cm SCHOUTEN Henry (or SHOUTEN) P...
Oil
$11,250Sale Price|25% Off
'Peau d’Âne' Large 19th-Century French Allegorical Pastoral Painting
Located in New York, NY
Pastoral Scene with Young Woman and Turkeys Oil on canvas 118.5 × 153.5 cm The frame is extremelly heavy, better to sell without it. Signed low-right This large-scale and finely ex...
Oil, Canvas
$585Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Abstract Study of a Horse and Figure in a Stable
By Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Abstract Study of a Horse and Figure in a Stable Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Watercolor on paper Size: 12 (Height) x 14.75 (Width) Signed...
Watercolor
$552Sale Price|20% Off
Anatomy Drawing of a Horse - Original French Artwork Equestrian Anatomy Study
By Robert Ladou
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 drawing: 12 x 19 inch...
Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil
$552Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head and Neck
By Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head and Neck Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pen and Pencil on card Size: 19.75 (Height) x 12.75 (Width) Signed: ...
Pen, Pencil
The Musician
By Theodore Ceriez
Located in Paris, Île-de-France
Theodore Ceriez Belgian, 1832–1904 The Musician Oil on panel Signed T. Ceriez lower right 24.3 × 18.9 cm Probably executed c. 1865–80 Provenance Arthur Tooth & Sons, London, s...
Oil, Panel
$175,000
Afternoon Tea - 19th Century Oil on Canvas Painting
Located in Palm Desert, CA
“Afternoon Tea” is an oil on canvas painting by French painter, Charles Joseph Frédéric Soulacroix. Renowned for his vivid portrayals of affluent 18th-century society, Soulacroix sta...
Canvas, Oil
$36,000Sale Price|20% Off
Beautiful Woman, The Coy Look - French Painting
Located in Miami, FL
If Vogue magazine existed in the late 19th century, this sitter could be on the cover. The depth of her feminine beauty and sweetness is mesmerizing. She looks at you. You look ...
Oil
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
“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...
Oil, Illustration Board
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 ...
Canvas, Oil
The Young Shepherdess: Late 19th Century Academic Oil Painting
By Charles Amable Lenoir
Located in New York, NY
The Young Shepherdess by Charles Amable Lenoir (1860-1926) Oil on canvas 48 x 32 inches unframed (121.92 x 81.28 cm.) 58 ½ x 42 ¾ inches framed (148.59 x 10...
Oil
HERMMANN LEON - Painting 19th Century - Portrait of a Dog in Interior
By Charles Herrmann-Léon 1
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
HERRMANN LEON Charles (1838-1908) Portrait of a Dog in interior Oil on canvas signed low left Old frame re-gilded with gold leaves Dim canvas : 56 X 46 cm Dim frame : 69 X 59 cm HERRMANN LEON Charles (1838-1908) French painter 19th century Born 22 july 1838 in Le Havre. Died 1...
Oil
"Sailboats in a Bay" John Ross Key, American Landscape, Skyscape, Maritime Scene
Located in New York, NY
John Ross Key Sailboats in a Bay Signed lower right Oil on canvas 15 x 26 inches Provenance Private collection, St. Simon's Island, Georgia Private Collection, by descent Private Co...
Canvas, Oil
$2,240Sale Price|20% Off
“Cows at a Stream Sunset”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of cattle watering at sunset by the well known American artist, George A. Hayes. Signed by the artist lower left “G.A. Hays”. Circa 1885. Condition ...
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Animated Landscape Painting in Oil on Canvas
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas
Oil
$5,200Sale Price|20% Off
Neptune and Triton En Grisaille Oil Painting by Philip Melville Courtney
Located in Palm Beach, FL
This en grisaille oil on canvas by American artist Philip Melville Courtney presents a masterful reinterpretation of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s celebrated marble Neptune and Triton (1622...
Oil
“Knight of the Field”
Located in San Francisco, CA
On offer is “Knight of the Field” aka “A Man in Armour,” a painting by Edgar Allan Ward (1862–1947). The portrait is of an unknown gentleman in full plate armor, complete with a swor...
Canvas, Oil
$3,683Sale Price|20% Off
Lively Conversation at a Balustrade, 19th Century Oil on Canvas
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas Dimensions with frame : 83 x 101.5 x 3.5 cm This 19th-century painting depicts a genre scene, typical of the academic and romantic art of the period. It shows three fi...
Oil
“Nasturtiums in Blue Vase”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of nasturtiums in a blue vase. Signed lower left. Appears to be L.I.S. Wallace. Unknown artist. American school; circa 1890. Original pierced gold p...
Canvas, Oil
Young Man on His Camel, Oil on Cardboard, Early-20th Century
Located in Genève, GE
Monogrammed "A.B." in the lower right corner. Dimension with frame : 44.5 x 39.5 x 5 cm. This oil on board depicts an Orientalist scene featuring a figure in traditional dress ridin...
Oil, Cardboard
$1,760Sale Price|20% Off
Woman portrait by Ilse Voigt - Oil on canvas 96x76 cm
By Ilse Voigt
Located in Geneva, CH
Oil on canvas with wooden frame. Total size with frame is 88x109 cm Ilse VOIGT is an artist born in 1905 and died in 1997. His works have been sold at public auction 24 times, mostl...
Oil
Flowers Still-Life
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
BIVA Paul (1851 – 1900) Flowers Still-Life Oil on canvas signed low right Old frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 90 X 117 cm - Dim frame : 117 X 145 cm BIVA Paul (1851 – 1900) Fr...
Oil
Silent Interior in the Manner of Vilhelm Hammershøi
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rikard Lindström (1882–1942) Silent Interior oil on canvas mounted on board signed lower right framed: 50 x 58 cm (19.69 x 22.83 inches) unframed: 39 x 47 cm (visible image) (15.35...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Ponte Rialto in Venice Landscape Painting Oil on Canvas with Frame
Located in Rome, IT
Early 20' Century large cityscapes of Venice oil on canvas with a finely carved gilt wood frame. Rialto Bridge painting is beautiful reminder of Venice, Italy's iconic bridge. The...
Oil
$441Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Eyes
By Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Eyes Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Acrylic on Paper Size: 18.25 (Height) x 14.75 (Width) Signed: No Condition: G...
Acrylic
$3,750Sale Price|25% Off
Fishing Boats, Seascape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Fishing Boats Size: 26" x 35" x 0.8'...
Canvas, Oil
$950
Roses, Still Life flowers 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: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Roses Size: 19.5" x 23.5" x 0.8'' in...
Canvas, Oil
Winter Day in Old Yard, 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: Winter Day in Old Yard Size: 18" x 21" x 0.8'' inch, (45x53x2cm), Unframed, Stretched on wooden bar, Ready to Hang, Artist Bio Ara H. Hakobyan is an Armenian artist and art critic, Doctor of Sciences (arts, 2017), professor (2018) and a member of Artist Union of the Republic of Armenia (1999). Ara H. Hakobyan was born in 1973 in Yerevan in the family of art historian Hravard Hakobyan. In 1997 Mr. Hakobyan graduated from the Yerevan State Academy of Arts, Department of Painting. During 1997-2000 Ara Hakobyan...
Canvas, Oil
Landscape, Impressionism, Original 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: Acrylic on Canvas Year: 2019 Style: Impressionism Title: Landscape Size: 24" x 30" x 0.8'' inch, (61x76x2cm), Unframed, Stretched on wooden bar, Ready to Hang, Artist Bio Ara H. Hakobyan is an Armenian artist and art critic, Doctor of Sciences (arts, 2017), professor (2018) and a member of Artist Union of the Republic of Armenia (1999). Ara H. Hakobyan was born in 1973 in Yerevan in the family of art historian Hravard Hakobyan. In 1997 Mr. Hakobyan graduated from the Yerevan State Academy of Arts, Department of Painting. During 1997-2000 Ara Hakobyan...
Canvas, Acrylic
Park, Summer landscape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Park Size: 12" x 17" x 0.8'' inch, (...
Canvas, Oil