Skip to main content

Academic 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
186
167
181
156
114
154
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
12
317
208
235
21
11
21
18
11
9
7
9
4
9
5
42,322
38,388
23,286
8,553
4,818
3,522
3,175
2,694
1,234
1,161
921
904
404
273
428
314
26
481
248
130
114
113
98
86
74
61
52
45
43
43
43
40
36
35
34
32
28
730
658
385
380
61
63
36
9
6
4
459
60
428
334
Style: Academic
Paris, Boulevard Porte Saint Denis
Paris, Boulevard Porte Saint Denis

Paris, Boulevard Porte Saint Denis

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

FOURNIER Victor Alfred (1872-1924) "Paris, Porte Saint Denis" Oil on canvas signed lower right and dated 1924 Old frame gilded with leaf (fine gold) Canvas size: 40 X 30 cm Frame size: 58 X 48 cm FOURNIER Victor Alfred (1872-1924) French 20th century Born in Paris in 1872. Died in Paris in 1924 Painter of landscapes, seascapes, beach scenes, urban landscapes. Victor Fournier...

Category

1920s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Flowers Still-Life
Flowers Still-Life

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...

Category

1880s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Transmutations: A Study of Systems Substitution, Painting by Mary Fish
"Transmutations: A Study of Systems Substitution, Painting by Mary Fish

"Transmutations: A Study of Systems Substitution, Painting by Mary Fish

By Mary Fish

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Mary Fish Title: Transmutations: A Study of Systems Substitution Year: 1980 Medium: Ink and Tempera on Paper, signed Size: 33.5 x 56 in. (85.09 x 142.24 cm)

Category

1980s Academic Paintings

Materials

Ink, Tempera

Tigers of Bengal
Tigers of Bengal

Tigers of Bengal

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Ferdinand SCHEBEK (1875 - 1949) Oil on canvas signed low left - Tigers of Bengal - Old coppery frame - Dim canvas : 60 X 81 cm - Dim Frame : 95 X ...

Category

Early 20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Venice, Canal and characters
Venice, Canal and characters

Venice, Canal and characters

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

BIRCK Alphonse (1859-1942) Venice, the Canal with chraracters oil on canvas signed low left Old frame gilded with leaves Size canvas : 51 X 60 cm - Size frame : 70 X 80 cm BIRCK Al...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Carlo Grubacs 19th Century oil painting of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Carlo Grubacs 19th Century oil painting of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice

Carlo Grubacs 19th Century oil painting of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice

By Carlo Grubacs

Located in Petworth, West Sussex

Carlo Grubacs (Italian, 1810 – 1870) Santa Maria della Salute, Venice Oil on panel Signed ‘C Grubacs’ (lower right) 9.3/4 x 5.3/8 in. (24.8 x 13.8 cm.)

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

November, Oil Painting

November, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Zanzinger

Located in Denver, CO

Elizabeth Zanzinger's (US based) "November" is an oil painting that depicts trees in autumn with a rock foreground. Elizabeth Zanzinger is an award-winning painter with an enthusiastic international following. She developed her artistic voice through her studies at the Aristides Atelier and Gage Academy of Fine Art in Seattle. Elizabeth finished her education with a fellowship award (Grand Prize, 2nd Annual Utrecht Art Competition) at the Grand Central Academy, New York City, in 2012. Since then she has completed a number of commissioned portraits of accomplished individuals, including former Chief Justice...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Basket of pansies Flowers - painting 19th century
Basket of pansies Flowers - painting 19th century

Basket of pansies Flowers - painting 19th century

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

BIVA Paul (1851 - 1900) Basket of Pansies Oil on canvas signed low left Framed by Gault (Paris) Dim canvas : 60 X 80 cm Dim frame : 80 X 100 cm BIVA Paul (1851 - 1900) French Pain...

Category

1880s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Lady in Middle-Age Suits, Pastel 19th Century
Lady in Middle-Age Suits, Pastel 19th Century

Lady in Middle-Age Suits, Pastel 19th Century

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

FANTIN LATOUR Theodore (1805 – 1875) « Young Lady dressed with middle-age suit » Pastel on card signed low right Old original frame gilded with leaves Dim pastel : 80 X 63 cm Dim fr...

Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Baroque Interiors of Castel
Baroque Interiors of Castel

Baroque Interiors of Castel

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

PURRMANN, Karl (1877-1966) Baroque interiors of Castle Oil on wood panel signed and dated 1947 Low left Framed by Gault (Paris) Dim wood : 52 X 66 cm PURRMANN, Karl (1877-1966) Ger...

Category

1940s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

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 Paintings

Materials

Oil

Grand Canal, Venice
Grand Canal, Venice

Grand Canal, Venice

By Warren W. Sheppard

Located in New York, NY

Highly respected American painter Warren Sheppard depicts the fishing boats of Venice with their colorful sails along the still waters of the Adriatic Sea. Sheppard is famous for his...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Three Men Conversing, Academic Oil Painting on Canvas, 19th Century
Three Men Conversing, Academic Oil Painting on Canvas, 19th Century

Three Men Conversing, Academic Oil Painting on Canvas, 19th Century

By Louis C. Moeller

Located in New York, NY

Signed lower right. Louis Charles Moeller was a master of American genre painting. His meticulously detailed, highly finished paintings of late Victorian interiors received consider...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Two Marines in Pair
Two Marines in Pair

Two Marines in Pair

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

BURLING Gilbert (1843-1875) Two oil on wood panel signed low right Showing scenes of fishing by the sea Frames giglded with leaves Size wood panel : 22 X 41 cm (each) Size frame : 33...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Marines - Boats are Leaving for Fishing in Brittany
Marines - Boats are Leaving for Fishing in Brittany

Marines - Boats are Leaving for Fishing in Brittany

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

GILBERT Pierre-Julien (1783-1860) Marines - Boats are Leaving for Fishing in Brittany Two Oils on wood panels in pair signed both low right Old frames re-gilded with leaves Dim wood ...

Category

Mid-19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Feedback Loop, Oil Painting

Feedback Loop, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Zanzinger

Located in Denver, CO

Elizabeth Zanzinger's (US based) "Feedback Loop" is an oil painting that depicts peculiar machine with wiring and red in interior with white background Elizabeth Zanzinger is an awa...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Napoleon III Review Painting, Tempera on carton, Signed, 19th Century
Napoleon III Review Painting, Tempera on carton, Signed, 19th Century

Napoleon III Review Painting, Tempera on carton, Signed, 19th Century

By Jean Baptiste Édouard Detaille

Located in PARIS, FR

Conditions: Very good condition. In its original frame and glass. A similar composition, but less accomplished, is currently part of the collections of the Musée des Invalides. Signed at the bottom and dated. Complementary shipping worlwide by DHL, FEDEX. Description: This work of art, framed by a majestic golden frame, accurately depicts a group of soldiers in 19th-century uniforms. Every detail, from the golden buttons to the epaulettes, finely illustrates the military equipment of the time. Behind them stands a sober architectural structure, evoking a barracks or a guard post. The color palette, dominated by earthy tones and dark shades of blue, gives a solemn and dignified atmosphere to the scene. The disposition of the soldiers, turned towards the artist, with an attitude both alert and relaxed, captures a moment of daily military life. This painting, with its attention to detail and harmonious composition, transports the viewer into a bygone era, inviting reflection on history and military traditions. EDOUARD DETAILLE The emperor is accompanied by his aide-de-camp, Colonel Castelnau, and Marshal Canrobert. In a gilded wooden frame, under a Marie Louise blue background. Life and time Born in 1848 into a close-knit bourgeois family, Édouard Detaille, the eldest of eight children, displayed early talent in drawing. “He was a prodigy,” notes François Robichon. By the age of thirteen, he exhibited an astonishing surety of hand and a phenomenal sense of composition. His father, connected to Horace Vernet, encouraged him. At seventeen, after passing his baccalaureate, he entered Meissonier’s studio. This relationship, which developed into mutual affection, spared Detaille the academic detour through the École des Beaux-Arts. Rather than dictating an official art style, Meissonier, at the peak of his fame, traveled with his students, introducing them to the nuances of Titian, Rembrandt, and Rubens in Brussels and Lille. In 1867, the Paris of “free trade” dominated the world through the technological revolutions of the Universal Exhibition, and the amiable young man, striking in appearance, discovered the salon of Princess Mathilde and the theater of Dumas fils. He even approached the Empress, noting in his journals, “Not bad, the Empress.” This observation encapsulated Detaille: he had no doubts about his talent, cultivated panache, enjoyed the company of beautiful women, and aimed to conquer the circles of power without sacrificing his freedom. From childhood, he listened to his calling: “Before I could read, I could guess the subjects of battles, the names of famous generals, the weapons of officers and soldiers from the images I admired in the books of Norvins and Laurent de l'Ardèche.” He mingled with collectors and regularly attended military reviews on the Champs-Élysées. His first painting exhibited at the Salon in 1868, “La Halte de tambours,” was praised by critics who immediately recognized “a remarkable truth of observation and simplicity of effect.” The purchase of this work by Princess Mathilde, cousin of Emperor Louis-Napoleon, made Detaille, at twenty, an envied celebrity known to Sainte-Beuve, Théophile Gautier, the Goncourt brothers, and Flaubert. The young artist’s humanistic vision contrasted with the compositions of his predecessors, depicting soldiers in maneuvers, contemplative and resigned as war loomed. **The Combatant’s Vision** The Siege of Paris, where he nearly lost his life in 1870, and the deaths of two brothers in that defeat darkened his outlook. From 1871 onward, Detaille no longer concealed the cruelties of war: German riflemen mowed down by machine gun fire, cavalrymen and panicked horses caught in ambushes, fields plowed by shells strewn with dead animals. The unvarnished tragedy: “It is an absolute fact that no painter has ever rendered a battlefield covered with corpses as it is,” commented Jules Claretie. The fallen bodies still bear the appearance of life in their frozen rigidity. Detaille’s testimony of the devastating defeat and the catastrophic effects of the first total war in history was not a celebration of heroism but a lament, a “lesson in darkness.” “From war, once considered the supreme effort of human genius, we now see only melancholy and horrors,” judged one writer in response to his canvases. “Detaille experienced the reality of combat at a young age during a war that foreshadowed the two world conflicts of the 20th century,” explains François Robichon. With great realism, Detaille painted war from the perspective of the combatant. He introduced a humanity and a critical lucidity regarding the evolution of warfare. His works intensely captured the violence and firepower of new weapons like machine guns. Before he turned thirty, Detaille had become a chronicler of these painful years. He exhibited, as a critic noted, a “striking portrait of modern war” that both French civilians and soldiers had experienced firsthand. He embodied a youth humiliated and eager for revenge. Yet this scrupulous artist also remembered, in his expansive landscapes—from the chalky plateaus of Île-de-France to the Russian plains—the lessons of Corot and Courbet. Manet was not far off. “I wouldn’t want my art to be reduced to mere patriotic art,” he asserted. “A system I often employ and love is to first execute the landscape, very effective, very tight, based on nature…” Echoing Meissonier’s advice: “Always nature, always nature!” Detaille remained close to this father figure, constructing a grand townhouse next to his mentor’s studio at 129 boulevard Malesherbes at the age of 26, having purchased 425 m² of land from the Pereire brothers. He even chose the same architect as Meissonier: Paul Boesvilwald. A bachelor and incorrigible seducer, the painter welcomed his conquests, including Valtesse de la Bigne, amidst his collections, having built his studio in the courtyard. Diplomatic Actor As Detaille’s fame grew, his Malesherbes townhouse quickly became a gathering place for foreign princes, politicians, and heads of state, where Juliette Adam, Léon Gambetta’s muse, offered him valuable advice. The Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII, developed a genuine friendship with the painter. “This fervent patriot, friend of Déroulède, was extraordinarily open to the world,” recounts François Robichon. In just a few years, he gained considerable social, cultural, and international stature. Received at Windsor, at the English court, he was close to Tsar Alexander III and a great friend of Félix Faure. In this capacity, Detaille played a decisive role in the Entente Cordiale, signed in 1904 between England and France, and in the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894, thereby contributing to the Triple Entente among the three powers. An engaged witness of his time—associated with the birth of the “Ligue des Patriotes” alongside Alphonse de Neuville...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Oil

Vase of Summer Light. 2024. Acrylic on canvas. 100x100 cm. Signed
Vase of Summer Light. 2024. Acrylic on canvas. 100x100 cm. Signed

Vase of Summer Light. 2024. Acrylic on canvas. 100x100 cm. Signed

Located in Riga, LV

"Vase of Summer Light" is a vibrant celebration of the season's warmth and beauty. A generous bouquet of delicate white peonies, vivid blue cornflowers, and cheerful chamomiles come...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

19th C. German painting of figures at a waterfall in the manner of Friedrich
19th C. German painting of figures at a waterfall in the manner of Friedrich

19th C. German painting of figures at a waterfall in the manner of Friedrich

Located in Petworth, West Sussex

A very romantic and detailed painting of figures enjoying the views of a waterfall in summertime, Europe Circle of Caspar David Friedrich (German, 1774 – 1840) Elegant company at th...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paper, Oil

Painting 19th Century - Horses and Carriage - Charles de Luna (1812-1866)
Painting 19th Century - Horses and Carriage - Charles de Luna (1812-1866)

Painting 19th Century - Horses and Carriage - Charles de Luna (1812-1866)

By Charles De Luna

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

LUNA, Charles de (1812-1866) Horses and carriage hunting Oil on canvas signed low left and dated 1841 Old original frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 39 X 75 cm Dim frame : 89 X 52 cm Certificate of authenticity LUNA, Charles de (1812-1866) French Painter 19th century Born in 1812 in Châlon sur Saone Genre scenes, military subjects, Orientalism Pupil of Léon Cogniet...

Category

1840s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

“Sailing Ships off the Coast”
“Sailing Ships off the Coast”

“Sailing Ships off the Coast”

Located in Southampton, NY

Original oil on canvas painting of sailing ships off the Danish coast by the marine artist, Johan Jens Neumann. Signed lower left and dated 1921. Slightly covered by frame. Conditi...

Category

1920s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Morning News Early 19th-century Realism: Antique Oil Painting on Wood Panel
The Morning News Early 19th-century Realism: Antique Oil Painting on Wood Panel

The Morning News Early 19th-century Realism: Antique Oil Painting on Wood Panel

By William Wallace Gilchrist

Located in Jacksonville, FL

Provenance: Exhibited at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 1911 #229 Description: William Wallace Gilchrist (1879-1926) was an American painter known for his captivating depictions of everyday life scenes and his ability to capture the ambiance and aesthetic of the late 19th century. Born in Philadelphia, Gilchrist showed an early passion for art and pursued his artistic education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Gilchrist’s artwork often revolved around intimate domestic settings, where he skillfully portrayed the beauty and tranquility of ordinary moments. His painting “The Morning News...

Category

Early 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

” La Maschera ” 19th Century Antique Realistic Oil Painting On Canvas
” La Maschera ” 19th Century Antique Realistic Oil Painting On Canvas

” 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...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dance of the Nymphs
Dance of the Nymphs

Dance of the Nymphs

By Paul Desire Trouillebert

Located in New Orleans, LA

This lyrical landscape entitled Dance of the Nymphs was composed by the French Barbizon painter Paul Désiré Trouillebert. A joyful scene of nymphs dancing the morning fog, the work closely resembles an important work by the great Camille Corot, which is now housed at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris). Renowned for his unique individuality that toed the line between the traditional and modern, Corot and his landscapes helped pave the way for an entire generation of Impressionists who followed him. Trouillebert perfectly captures the poetic atmosphere of Corot’s groundbreaking works, while also imbuing this scene with a freshness and character that is all his own. Trouillebert's oil on canvas is exemplary of the tradition of historical painting. The work perfectly combines a realistic depiction of the natural world with a spirited romanticism as his idealized nymph figures frolic playfully beneath a crisp morning sky. As a whole, it is a lovely composition executed with a level of skill and artistry that proves Trouillebert's exceptional talent in the arts. Born in Paris in 1831, Paul Désiré Trouillebert was a student of the academic painters Ernest Hébert...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Reception at the Salon
Reception at the Salon

Reception at the Salon

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

STEVENS Agapit (1848 – 1924) Reception at the Salon Oil on wood signed low left New Golden Frame Dim wood panel : 24 X 39 cm Dim Frame : 49 X 63 cm STEVENS Agapit (1848 – 1924) Be...

Category

1880s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Venice Panoramic View
Venice Panoramic View

Venice Panoramic View

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Angelo PISANI (1885-1950) Panoramic View from Venice Oil on canvas signed low right Frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 51 X 100 cm Dim frame : 70 X 120 cm

Category

1920s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait Painting Woman Argentinian painter Della VALLE 19th
Portrait Painting Woman Argentinian painter Della VALLE 19th

Portrait Painting Woman Argentinian painter Della VALLE 19th

Located in PARIS, FR

Angel Della VALLE Buenos Aires, 1853 - Buenos Aires, 1903 Portrait of a woman Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm (58 x 51 cm with frame) Signed lower right "Angel Valle" Two numbers on the v...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

'Chapel in the Woods', Oil on Canvas Painting by English School
'Chapel in the Woods', Oil on Canvas Painting by English School

'Chapel in the Woods', Oil on Canvas Painting by English School

Located in London, GB

'Chapel in the Woods', oil on canvas painting by English School English, 1847 Canvas: Height 56cm, width 77cm, depth 2.5cm Frame: Height 78cm, width 97cm, depth 9cm This beautiful ...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Passeggiata a cavallo a Trieste
Passeggiata a cavallo a Trieste

Passeggiata a cavallo a Trieste

Located in Roma, RM

Alfredo Tominz (Trieste 1854 – 1936), Passeggiata a cavallo a Trieste Dipinto ad olio su tela di cm 69 x 110 firmato e datato 1890 in basso a destra. Provenienza: Asta Stadion Trie...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still Life composition
Still Life composition

Still Life composition

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Jacques DELANOY (1820-1890) Still Life Fruits and vegetables Oil on canvas signed and dated 1890 low left Old frame regilded with leaves Dim canvas : 41 X 34 cm Dim frame : 53 X 44 ...

Category

1890s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hunting Dog Portrait Pastel On Paper By Catherine Dammeron
Hunting Dog Portrait Pastel On Paper By Catherine Dammeron

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...

Category

1990s Academic Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Academic paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Academic 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 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, pink, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Karen Darbinyan, Mark Beard, Kyna de Schouël, and Elizabeth Zanzinger. 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 paintings, so small editions measuring 4.14 inches across are also available. Prices for 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 $140 and tops out at $700,000, while the average work sells for $4,850.