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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.  

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Style: Academic
Monumental Figurative Bacchanal Painting on Four Wood Panels Botanical Interior
Monumental Figurative Bacchanal Painting on Four Wood Panels Botanical Interior

Monumental Figurative Bacchanal Painting on Four Wood Panels Botanical Interior

By Natasha Lelenco

Located in FISTERRA, ES

Large contemporary figurative painting on four wooden panels depicting a modern Bacchanalian gathering surrounded by an immersive botanical landscape, where mythology, ornament and c...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board, Fabric

Bunch of Roses with Chinese Vase
Bunch of Roses with Chinese Vase

Bunch of Roses with Chinese Vase

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

MONNOT Maurice Louis (1869-1937) Bunch of Roses with Chinese Vase Oil on canvas signed low right Frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 61 X 50 cm Dim Frame : 90 X 80 cm MONNOT Maurice Louis (1869-1937) French painter 19th – 20th century Born the 22th of October 1869 in Paris. Dead in 1937 Painter of interior and still lives. He was the pupil of Joseph Bail...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Farm, landscape Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Farm, landscape Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Karen Darbinyan

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: Farm Size: 12" x 17" x 0.8'' inch, (...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

The Farm to the Donkey
The Farm to the Donkey

The Farm to the Donkey

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

GARAT Francis (1870 - NC) The Farm of The Donkey Oil on canvas signed and dated 1883 low right Frame guilded Size canvas : 50 X 76 cm - Size frame : 60 X 76 cm GARAT Francis (1870 -...

Category

1880s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

“Flowers in Classical Urn”
“Flowers in Classical Urn”

“Flowers in Classical Urn”

By Edward Chalmers Leavitt

Located in Southampton, NY

Very fine example of the artistry of the master still life painter of his day, Edward Chalmers Leavitt. Signed lower left and dated 1875. Condition is very good. Provenance: Christie’s Auction, New York, December 2, 1992, lot 228. Overall in period replica gold leaf deep cove gallery frame 25.75 by 17.75 inches. Edward C. Leavitt (1842-1904) worked in Providence but is also associated with the Fall River School of still life painting through the influence of, and affinity of his style to, the work of Robert S. Dunning. Leavitt was a student of landscape painter James Morgan Lewin, a founder of Providence’s artistic “group of 1855.” Leavitt’s work is known for its realism, rich coloration, sharp focus and careful finish. His paintings of fruit and flowers incorporate ornate decorative pieces such as silver or bronze ewers, salvers, tankards, or plates on carved and polished tables. Leavitt was a prolific artist, exhibiting frequently at the National Academy of Design, the Boston Art Club, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His work inspired other still life painters in Providence, resulting in that city’s own still life tradition, including artists such as John Clinton Spencer, Bryant Chapin...

Category

1870s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“View of Switzerland”
“View of Switzerland”

“View of Switzerland”

By John William Casilear

Located in Southampton, NY

Beautiful oil on fiberboard painting of a view of Switzerland done by the American artist, John William Casilear. Signed with monogram lower left. Condition is excellent. Circa 1857/1858. The painting is housed in a contemporary frame. Overall framed measurements are 6 5/8 by 8 5/8 inches. lProvenance: Long Island, New York collector. Biography John William Casilear was born in New York City on June 25, 1811. Like his fellow Hudson River School landscapists Asher B. Durand and John F. Kensett, he worked as an engraver before turning to painting. In 1826 Casilear was apprenticed to the engraver Peter Maverick (1780-1831), and at first he primarily executed bank notes. Durand encouraged him to attempt other subjects, however, and during the 1830s he madeengravings after some of the most prominent paintings of the day, including Daniel Huntington's The Sybil (New-York Historical Society). In 1832 he began submitting engravings to the National Academy of Design exhibition and he first showed paintings there in 1836. In 1833 Casilear was elected an Associate of the Academy; he was elevated to full Academician status in 1851. In 1840 Casilear accompanied Durand, Kensett, and another painter, Thomas P. Rossiter (1818-1871), on a trip to Europe. There the artists studied and copied paintings...

Category

1850s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Fiberboard

Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Coastal, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

By Karen Darbinyan

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: Coastal Size: 16.5" x 21.5" x 0.8'' ...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th Century Tonalist Sheep Herder
19th Century Tonalist Sheep Herder

19th Century Tonalist Sheep Herder

Located in San Francisco, CA

Charming little 19th century oil on board. I am not sure if it’s European or American. The painting measures 12 inches wide by 6 inches high. The frame is 3/4 of an inch around. Pain...

Category

19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Roses, Flowers, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Roses, Flowers, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

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 23.5" x 0.8'' in...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The Working Man"
"The Working Man"

"The Working Man"

By R.V. Rowe

Located in Southampton, NY

34 x 28 overall Canvas laid down on artist board Signed lower right Overall in gold leaf frame 30x24 inches R.W. Rowe Circa 1970’s

Category

1970s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Under the Blossomed Tree, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Under the Blossomed Tree, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Under the Blossomed Tree, 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 Subject: Under the Blossomed Tree, Size: 1...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A.POURFILET - Original Painting Early 20th Century
A.POURFILET - Original Painting Early 20th Century

A.POURFILET - Original Painting Early 20th Century

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

A.POURFILET (19th-20th Century) Still life with Peaches and Grapes Oil on card signed low left Old frame gilded with leaves Dim card : 33 X 41 cm Dim frame : 50 X 58 cm

Category

Early 1900s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Sunny Day, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind
Sunny Day, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind

Sunny Day, 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: 2018 Style: Impressionism Title: Sunny Day Size: 16" x 20" x 0.8'' in...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Seaside Picnic”
“Seaside Picnic”

“Seaside Picnic”

Located in Southampton, NY

Original oil on canvas painting of a bucolic seaside picnic with a mother and her young children. Signed by the artist, F. G. Grust lower left. Condition is very good. The painting is housed in a period style gold leaf frame in fine condition. Overall framed measurements are 31.5 by 41.75 inches. Provenance: A California estate. F. G. Grust was a Dutch painter born in 1889 who was best known for his domestic interior and exterior scenes of a mother with her young children. He is the son of artist Theordor Grust (1859 - 1909), who also painted Dutch genre...

Category

1920s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Waiting, Figurative Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Waiting, Figurative Art, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Waiting, Figurative Art, 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: 2012 Style: Impressionism Subject: Waiting, Size: 18" x 14" x 0.8'' ...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mid-20th Century Framed Allegorical Oil Painting 'The Temptation' on Canvas
Mid-20th Century Framed Allegorical Oil Painting 'The Temptation' on Canvas

Mid-20th Century Framed Allegorical Oil Painting 'The Temptation' on Canvas

By Benjamin II Vautier

Located in Genève, GE

Allegorical Garden Scene (The Temptation) — Signed Oil on Canvas, 20 Century Swiss School Dimension without frame : 81 x 80.5 x 4 cm A refined and evocative oil on canvas by Swiss painter Benjamin Vautier, depicting an allegorical scene traditionally interpreted as The Temptation. The composition presents a young shepherd-like figure offering a fruit to a nude female — an allusion to Adam and Eve — while two additional female figures observe, set within an idyllic, Edenic landscape populated by symbolic fauna, including a striking white peacock. Vautier demonstrates exceptional sensitivity in the modeling of the human form, rendered with academic precision softened by a poetic, almost symbolist atmosphere. The lush vegetation, filtered light, and harmonious palette of deep greens, warm flesh tones, and earthy hues create a serene yet subtly charged narrative space. The artist’s controlled brushwork and nuanced tonal transitions reflect his training within the European academic tradition while revealing a distinct personal lyricism. Signed lower right, the painting embodies the 20th-century fascination with classical mythology, biblical allegory, and Arcadian pastoral themes. Works of this subject and quality are increasingly sought after for both private collections and sophisticated interior settings. Benjamin Vautier painting, Swiss 20th century painting, antique oil painting signed, European academic painting, mythological oil painting, allegorical painting 20th century, Adam and Eve painting, Eden garden scene painting, classical nude painting...

Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Anatomy Drawing of a Horse - Original French Artwork Equestrian Anatomy Study
Anatomy Drawing of a Horse - Original French Artwork Equestrian Anatomy Study

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 black folder/ thick paper, unframed drawing: 12 x 17.75 ...

Category

20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil

At the Window, Still Life, Original Painting, One of a Kind
At the Window, Still Life, Original Painting, One of a Kind

At the Window, Still Life, Original Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Year: 2019 Style: Impressionism Title: At the Window Size: 30" x 24" x 0.8'' inch, (76x51x2cm), 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...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Set of Four Butterfly Watercolors on Silk, Signed, Handmade Paper
Set of Four Butterfly Watercolors on Silk, Signed, Handmade Paper

Set of Four Butterfly Watercolors on Silk, Signed, Handmade Paper

By La Roche Laffitte

Located in Cotignac, FR

A set of four watercolours of butterflies on silk, applied to handmade paper, with hand cut edges, by French artist La Roche Laffitte. Two are signed by the artist to the bottom righ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Silk, Watercolor, Handmade Paper, Carbon Pencil, Gouache

Anatomical Study of Horse Legs
Anatomical Study of Horse Legs

Anatomical Study of Horse Legs

By Robert Ladou

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Anatomical Study of Horse Legs Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Coloured Pencil and pen on paper Size: 20 (Height) x 13.75 (Width) Signed: No Condition: Good ...

Category

20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Gel Pen, Color Pencil

Stony Beach, Cliffs, Impressionism Original Painting, One of a Kind
Stony Beach, Cliffs, Impressionism Original Painting, One of a Kind

Stony Beach, Cliffs, Impressionism Original Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Year: 2019 Style: Impressionism Title: Stony Beach 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...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head
Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head

Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head

By Robert Ladou

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Original French Anatomical Study of Horse's Head Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pen Size: 19.75 (Height) x 12.75 (Width) Signed: No Condition: Good, minor di...

Category

20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Pen

Flowers in a Big Vase by Albert Duplain - Oil on canvas 62x74 cm
Flowers in a Big Vase by Albert Duplain - Oil on canvas 62x74 cm

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...

Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

“A Corner of Lowes Water”
“A Corner of Lowes Water”

“A Corner of Lowes Water”

By David Bates b.1840

Located in Southampton, NY

Beautifully executed oil on canvas landscape with figures in a boat by the well known British artist, David Bates. Signed and dated lower left 1900. Titled, signed and dated verso. Condition is very good. Two small old patches verso. Framed in a period elaborate gold leaf frame with minor old restorations. Frame condition is very good. Overall framed measurements are 29.75 by 40 inches. Signed and dated lower left, 1900 Framed 29.75by 40.25 inches. Titled, signed and dated verso. Loweswater is one of the smaller lakes in the English Lake District in Cambria. The village of Loweswater is situated to the east of the lake. About: David Bates British, (1840-1921) David Bates was born in March, Cambridge in 1840 to Benjamin Bates a shoe maker and Sarah Bates. By 1851, the family had moved to Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire and from 1855 Bates became an apprentice at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Works in Worcester. There he developed his artistic talent, painting flower decorations onto vases and plates. At some point after 1861, he became a full time artist and made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1863, continuing to exhibit there until 1893. He also exhibited at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Suffolk Street and the Grosvenor Gallery. He married Elizabeth Higgs from Worcester in 1867 and they lived at Cherry Orchard, Bath Road in Worcester where their children were later born. Their second child John Bates Noel (1870-1927) became a landscape artist and their younger son David Samuel...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Muse, Women Portrait, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Muse, Women Portrait, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Muse, Women Portrait, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

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: 2016 Style: Portrait Surrealism, Title: Muse, Size: 19.5" x 19.5" x 0.8'' ...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Immaculate Conception Oil on Canvas Painting, Academic Style, Signed
Immaculate Conception Oil on Canvas Painting, Academic Style, Signed

Immaculate Conception Oil on Canvas Painting, Academic Style, Signed

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 Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Habenero, " Oil painting

"Habenero, " Oil painting

By Thane Gorek

Located in Denver, CO

Thane Gorek's (US based) "Habenero" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts an orange Habanero pepper halved, so that it's seeds and core are ex...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait Max Surrealism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Portrait Max Surrealism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Portrait Max Surrealism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

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: 2017 Style: Portrait Surrealism, Title: Portrait Max, Size: 23.5" x 19.5" ...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Leg
Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Leg

Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Leg

By Robert Ladou

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Original French Anatomical Study of a Horse's Leg Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pen and Pencil on paper Size: 20 (Height) x 13.25 (Width) Signed: No Conditi...

Category

20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Pencil, Pen

Evening View a Port, Harbor, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Evening View a Port, Harbor, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Evening View a Port, Harbor, 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: 2013 Style: Impressionism Subject: Evening View a Port, Size: 16" x ...

Category

2010s Academic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Las costureras - Óleo sobre lienzo
Las costureras - Óleo sobre lienzo

Las costureras - Óleo sobre lienzo

Located in Sant Celoni, ES

Óleo sobre lienzo de Baldomer Gili Roig – Mujeres cosiendo, firmado, con marco ornamentado. Magnífica pintura al óleo sobre lienzo del reconocido artista catalán Baldomer Gili Roig ...

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Oil

Original French Illustrations of an Equine Skeletal and Dental Structures
Original French Illustrations of an Equine Skeletal and Dental Structures

Original French Illustrations of an Equine Skeletal and Dental Structures

By Robert Ladou

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Title: Original French Illustrations of an Equine Skeletal and Dental Structures Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil and Pen on Paper Size: 19.75 (Height) x 25.75...

Category

20th Century Academic Paintings

Materials

Pencil, Pen

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.