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.
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
$400Sale Price|20% Off
"Untitled 12, " Charcoal Drawing
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...
Paper, Charcoal
Venetian Scene by Martin Rico y Ortega
By Martin Rico y Ortega
Located in New Orleans, LA
Martin Rico y Ortega 1833-1908 Spanish Venetian Scene Signed "Rico" (lower left) Oil on canvas Spanish artist Martin Rico y Ortega captures a charming view of a canal in Venice ...
Canvas, Oil
Painting animals interior cats
By Alfred Arthur Brunel De Neuville
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Alfred BRUNEL NEUVILLE (1852-1941) Interior with cats Oil on canvas signed low right Old frame re-gilded with gold leaves Dim canvas : 54 X 75 cm Dim frame : 74 X 85 cm Alfred BRUNE...
Oil
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
Stacks of Wheat, 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: Stacks of Wheat Size: 16" x 21.5" x ...
Canvas, Oil
A Pompeian Lady
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...
Canvas, Oil
Family scene, children dog and pup, French painting by Delacroix' prodigy friend
Located in Norwich, GB
A sweet and intimate family scene by the rarest of artists: French early 19th Century child prodigy Henri-Louis-Hippolyte Poterlet (1804-1835). Poterlet was a close friend and confi...
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
Saint Sophia, City, 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: Saint Sophia Size: 12" x 17" x 0.8''...
Canvas, Oil
$3,840Sale Price|20% Off
“Rough Seas”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a very well executed luminous oil on artist board painting by the American artist, Franklin Dullin Briscoe. Signed and dated by the artist lower righ...
Oil, Board
Late 19th Century Reclining Nude California School
Located in Soquel, CA
Late 19th century California School reclining nude female figure by anonymous 19th Century artist. In the style of William-Adolphe Bouguereau. ...
Canvas, Oil
A Very Fine Austrian Oil on Canvas "Young Ladies Collecting Spring Flowers"
By Hans Zatzka
Located in LA, CA
Hans Zatzka (Austrian, 1859-1945) a very fine and charming oil on canvas ""Young Ladies Collecting Spring Flowers", depicting three young maidens picking flowers by a lake. The three...
Oil
Pegasus and Bellerophon Large Oil Painting on Canvas 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...
Oil
Ocean Cliff, 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: Ocean Cliff Size: 15.5" x 23.5" x 0....
Canvas, Oil
A Very Fine Danish 19th Century Oil on Canvas "The Sewing Room" (Systue)
Located in LA, CA
Wenzel Ulrik Tornøe (Danish, 1844-1907) A very fine and large oil on canvas titled "Systue" ("The Sewing Room"). The finely executed artwork depicting the interior of a sewing room w...
Oil
Hunting Dog Portrait Pastel On Paper By Catherine Dammeron
Located in Gavere, BE
The artist Catherine Dammeron was born in 1976 in Wissembourg in Alsace. She made her passion for pastel drawing her job. Artist going against the current, this resident of Yonne fav...
Gold Leaf
$522Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of Horse's Head
By Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of Horse's Head Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil on Paper Size: Excluding Mount: 8.75 (Height) x 10.75 (Width), ...
Pencil
Boulders
Located in Greenville, DE
Original landscape oil on canvas by American illustrator N.C. Wyeth. Painted in his hometown of Chadds Ford, PA c. 1911-12. The work is unsigned but is included in the artist's catal...
Canvas, Oil
Cows, Landscape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Landscape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressio...
Canvas, Oil
” La Maschera ” 19th Century Antique Realistic Oil Painting On Canvas
Located in Jacksonville, FL
“Mom and Her Kids,” an exquisite oil painting on canvas by Gaetano Chierici, also known as La Maschera, captures a timeless domestic scene with remarkable attention to detail and emo...
Oil
$2,000
'A Day in the Country' Dutch Scene, Oil on Linen Painting by Alyona Kostina
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This warm, realistic painting depicting a day exploring the Dutch countryside features a golden field with a stream bisecting the landscape with windmills dotting the landscape. The...
Linen, Oil
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Flowers in a Big Vase by Albert Duplain - Oil on canvas 62x74 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Albert Duplain (1890-1978) was a Swiss painter known for his depictions of Swiss landscapes and scenes of everyday life. His works, characterized by vibrant colors and a strong conne...
Oil, Canvas
$11,304
The Lilac
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
PAUL PEROT known as POL NOËL (1851 -1911 ) The Lilac Oil on canvas signed low right Old frame giglded with gold leaves size canvas : 75 X 93 cm - size frame : 97 X 115 cm PAUL PER...
Oil
"Portrait of Arthur W. Smith, Esq. " James Carroll Beckwith, Society Portrait
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 ...
Canvas, Oil
$86,800
Lilly Martin Spencer (American, 1822-1902) God Bless My Father Portrait Painting
Located in Queens, NY
Lilly Martin Spencer (American, 1822-1902) A Rare Portrait God Bless My Father. **Figure 84 from principal book/catalogue on Lilly Martin Spencer. 19th Century. Oil on canvas, signed Lilly Martin Spencer was one of the most popular and American female genre painters in the mid-nineteenth century. She primarily painted domestic scenes, paintings of women and children...
Oil
Roses, 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: 2020 Style: Impressionism Title: Roses Size: 19.5" x 27.5" x 0.8'' in...
Canvas, Oil
Evening View, Coastal 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: Evening View, Size: 11" x 14" x 0.8...
Oil, Canvas
$720
Morning Breeze, coastal, Impressionism, 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: Morning Breeze, Size: 9" x 13.5" x ...
Canvas, Oil
Close to Shore, 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: Close to Shore, Size: 11" x 14" x 0...
Oil, Canvas
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
$48,000
"A Surprising Visit" 19th Century Antique European Oil Painting on Canvas
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...
Canvas, Oil
Stunning Canal Views in Venice, Signed Landscape Painting, 60x81 cm
Located in New York, NY
Pristine condition. No restorations. Both signed low right.
Canvas, Oil
Autumn Valley, 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: Autumn Valley Size: 15.5" x 22" x 0....
Oil, Canvas
$1,200Sale Price|27% Off
“Red Poppies and Grapes”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a circa 1920’s still life of red poppies and purple grapes. Oil on artist canvas board . Signed lower right but artis...
Canvas, Oil
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...
Oil
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
$7,377
Painting 19th century French School Genre Scene Interior Portrait
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
French School 19th century Close to François Xavier FABRE (1766-1837) The Princess and The Chaperone Oil on canvas One can read on the reverse "Fabre Fecit" and the name and address of the canvas dealer shop...
Oil
Large & Impressive French 19th Century Oil on Canvas "The Water Carrier Lady"
By Jules Salles-Wagner
Located in LA, CA
Jules Salles-Wagner (French, 1814-1898) A Large and Impressive French, 19th century oil on canvas "The Water Carrier Lady" depicting a standing and posing young peasant girl holding ...
Oil
Portrait of man seated
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
Newfoundland with a Kitten by Otto Eerelman
Located in New Orleans, LA
Otto Eerelman 1839-1926 Dutch Newfoundland with a Kitten Oil on canvas Signed “O. Eerelman” (lower right) This monumental painting is by the celebrated Dutch artist Otto Eerelman...
Canvas, Oil
The Little Ballerina
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Alphonse PELLET (1853-1926) The Little Ballerina Oil on wood panel signed low right Old frame regilded with leaves Size panel : 30 X 43 cm - Size frame : 40 X 55 cm Alphonse PELLET...
Oil
Seascape, 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: 2017 Style: Impressionism Title: Seascape Size: 23.5" x 35.5" x 0.8'...
Canvas, 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
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
$412Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Paper, Watercolor, Ink, Pen
Paintings 19th Century Still Life With Flowers
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
GODCHAUX Emile (1860) Compositions of Flowers in Pair Oil on canvas signed low Left Old Frames gilded with gold leaves Dim canvas (each) : 130 X 89 cm Dim frame (each) : 149 x 109 cm...
Oil
Still Life Fruits and Crystal
By Alexandre François Bonnardel
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
BONNARDEL François (1867-1942) Still Life Fruits Crystal Oils on card signed right below Old Frame Dim canvas : 36 X 45 cm Dim frame : 45 X 55 cm BONNARDEL François Alexandre ...
Oil
$720Sale Price|20% Off
Mountain's view by M. Völlmy - Oil on wood 40x50 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Oil paint on wood with original frame. Total size with frame: 60x50x5 cm
Oil
$575Sale Price|31% Off
“Clipper under Full Sail”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of a three mast clipper under full sail. Signed by the artist lower right. Condition is very good to excellent. Mild stretch...
Canvas, Oil
Peonies in a Blue Vase
Located in Mc Lean, VA
One of three still-life paintings by the French flower painter Germain-Theodore Ribot.
Canvas, Oil
$219,923
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...
Oil
$2,200Sale Price|31% Off
“French Cavaliers”
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on wooden panel painting of horse riding French cavaliers in battle. Signed lower left. Not dated. Original period gilded frame in fine condition. Painting has been recently professionally cleaned. Painting and frame circa 1875. Overall framed measurements are 16 by 14 inches. Condition of the painting is very good. Provenance: Saint Petersburg, Florida estate. Charles Michel Guilbert D'anelle was a pupil of Horace Vernet ( known for his military paintings...
Oil, Board
$2,720Sale Price|20% Off
“The Potato Peelers”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of a man and a woman intently peeling potatoes at a table. No visible signature. Old gallery label in German verso that is dated 1934 Condition is go...
Canvas, Oil
Paintings 19th Century Flowers Still life
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
GODCHAUX Emile (1860) Big Compositions of Flowers in Pair Oil on canvas signed low right Frames gilded with gold leaves Dim canvas (each) : 90 X 129 cm Dim frame (each) : 118 x 159 cm Certificate of authenticity GODCHAUX Emile (1860 - nc) French School - XIXth century Born in 1860 Painter of genre scenes, landscapes, waterscapes, marines, flowers, still lives. He sold his paintings on the public place, and sometimes in Lotteries. He is related to Alfred Godchaux...
Oil
$48,950
A Large and Impressive Oil on Canvas "La Place Sainte Gudule, Brussels"
Located in LA, CA
Franz (Bernard) Gailliard (Belgian, 1861-1932) "La Place Sainte Gudule a` Bruxelles Apre`s Le Carnaval" A fine and large oil on canvas depicting a street scene in late 19th century B...
Oil
$960Sale Price|61% Off
Mother and Child
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful original painting by French artist, Alexandre de Valentini (1787-1887). Pencil and gouache on paper, 14 x 18.5 inches; 19 x 23.5 inches matted. Signed and dated with Paris...
Gouache, Pencil
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
Mother and Child - Classic Portrait
Located in Miami, FL
This warm portrait looks like it could have been painted by Corot. Francis Luis Mora paints in that tradition. It's a small painting that invites the viewer to look closer. The art...
Oil, Board
"Croquet" John Cousins Lawrence, British, Coast, Playing in the Field
Located in New York, NY
John Cousins Lawrence Croquet Signed lower right and on the overlap Oil on canvas 25 x 30 inches
Canvas, Oil