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.
Neoclassical sculpture Ephebus Harpocratic in Marble Roman workshop 18th century
Located in Pistoia, IT
Rare neoclassical white marble sculpture depicting an ephebe in the gesture of silence, also known as the gesture of Harpocrates, Rome, second half of the 18th century. Harpocrate...
Marble
$3,526Sale Price|20% Off
Italian Mid 19th century White Carrara Marble bust. Portrait of young male.
Located in Firenze, IT
Italian Portrait White Marble Bust in a Heroic Attitude. Carrara statuary Marble. Tuscan school. Circa 1850. Bust depicting a young man with bare shoulders. This model draws inspira...
Marble
$5,800
Antique Bronze Dog "Whippet with a Butterfly" Arthur Waagen (1833-1898) 1 of 2
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Bronze Dog Portrait “La Levrette au Papillon” or “Whippet (Greyhound) with a Butterfly” Arthur Waagen (Germany, France 1833-1898) Circa 1860’s 11 x 8 x 4 inches (1 of 2. ...
Bronze
Imponente Scultura Neoclassica Italiana in Marmo Venere Genitrice XIX secolo
Located in Pistoia, IT
Imponente scultura neoclassica in marmo, modello conosciuto come Afrodite Louvre-Napoli o Venus Genitrix, bottega italiana, 19 secolo. La dea è raffigurata in piedi, al momento de...
Marble
Elegant Neoclassical White Marble Fragment Draped Female Sculpture 19' century
Located in Rome, IT
Elegant marble sculpture fragment depicting a draped female figure, inspired by the ideals of Classical Antiquity and presented in the refine...
Marble
$28,500
The Archer Bronze Sculpture, Academic Style, Early 20th Century, 42"
Located in Palm Beach, FL
The Archer (Der Bogenschütze) — Large Bronze, 42” tall male nude academic bronze sculpture by Ernst Moritz Geyger. Cast by Gladenbeck Foundry, Berlin This 42-inch bronze of The Arche...
Bronze
$24,500
Lifesize Plaster Cast Sculpture of The Wrestlers, Antique Nude Art
By Brussels Atelier de Moulages
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique Grand Tour Plaster Cast after Antonio Canova – Life-Size Figural Group This impressive, life-size antique plaster cast represents one of t...
Plaster
Seated Mercury Life-Size Bronze Sculpture, Italian, Late 19th Century
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Seated Mercury (Hermes) — Grand Tour Life-Size Bronze Italian School (possibly Naples) Italy, Late 19th–Early 20th Century This commanding life-size Grand Tour bronze depicts Mercury (Hermes) seated in quiet repose upon a rock, rendered with classical authority and exceptional refinement. The youthful god’s finely modeled anatomy, serene, introspective expression, and distinctive winged sandals draw directly from the celebrated ancient prototype, creating a sculpture of enduring presence and balance. Fully restored and ready to place, the bronze presents beautifully for interior display or garden installation, where its patinated surface responds richly to natural light. The composition derives from the renowned Seated Mercury discovered on August 3, 1758, in the peristyle garden of the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. The ancient original—now housed in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli—became a touchstone of classical taste and a must-see for Grand Tour travelers of the 18th and 19th centuries, admired for its harmony, restraint, and technical mastery. Cast in richly toned bronze and finished with a nuanced patina, this example exemplifies the Neapolitan tradition of Grand Tour bronzes, prized for archaeological fidelity and sculptural finesse. Its impressive scale and poised silhouette make it a significant focal point in both modern and classical settings—an object that bridges antiquity and the cultivated collecting culture of the Grand Tour. Notable Related Examples: Getty Villa · Kunsthistorisches Museum · Villa San Michele...
Bronze
Set of Extraordinary Italian Stone Statues Representing the Four Seasons
Located in Rome, IT
Four season ,monumental classically draped female figures and their distinguishing symbols on a square base. Autumn, winter, spring and summer. Timeless classical decoration for you...
Limestone
Exceptional Pair of Italian Neoclassical Leons Carrara Marble Statues
Located in Rome, IT
Outstanding pair Italian Neoclassical Leons Carrara Marble sculptures. A timeless piece for your garden or interior decoration. Good condition, with visible signs of wear and ...
Marble
Standing Ballerina Sculpture, Bronze, Academic Style, Signed, 2/5
Located in Zofingen, AG
Sculpture from the Ballet series. The series is dedicated to classical ballet and includes over 30 sculptur...
Metal, Bronze
ANTINOUS Magnificent Italian Neoclassical Carrara Marble Sculpture
Located in Rome, IT
Outstanding 19th century Italian finely carved Carrara "Statuario" marble sculpture of Antinoo , after the Antique The Capitoline 'Antinous'. Antinous, a young Bithinius favorite...
Marble
Outdoor Italian Stone Sculpture of Classical Torso with Base
Located in Rome, IT
This reproduction of a classical Hellenistic sculpture, a timeless piece for interior and a garden decoration. Measurement: Torso cm 100 base cm 70.
Limestone
Set of Extraordinary Italian Stone Statues Representing the Four Seasons
Located in Rome, IT
Four season ,monumental classically draped female figures and their distinguishing symbols on a square base. Autumn, winter, spring and summer. Timeless classical decoration for you...
Limestone
Jean-Léon Gérôme La Danseuse au Cerceau - Gilt Bronze Statue of a Hoop Dancer
Located in New York, NY
Jean-Léon Gérôme French 1824 - 1904 La Joueuse De Cerceau - The Hoop Dancer A mini gilt bronze female figural statue of a young hoop dancer inspired by a trove of ancient terraco...
Bronze
ANTINOUS Magnificent Italian Neoclassical Carrara Marble Sculpture
Located in Rome, IT
Outstanding 19th century Italian finely carved Carrara "Statuario" marble sculpture of Antinoo , after the Antique The Capitoline 'Antinous'. Antinous, a young Bithinius favorite...
Marble
$5,335
Sculpture Terracotta Female Nude From Marcel Bouraine (1886-1948)
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sculpture Terracotta From Marcel Bouraine (1886-1948)" Original terra cotta sculpture of Marcel Bouraine Naïade of the 1930's Signed Bouraine On the ...
Terracotta
Jean-Baptiste Germain "Le Torrent" Bronze Sculpture for Tiffany &Co, Signed
By Jean-Baptiste Germain
Located in Plainview, NY
Jean-Baptiste Germain "Le Torrent" Bronze Sculpture for Tiffany &Co, Signed A distinguished French Belle Époque bronze sculpture titled Le Torrent "The Torrent", created by the ...
Bronze
A Life-Size Italian 19th C. Marble Sculpture Children in a Crib by A. Tantardini
Located in LA, CA
Antonio Tantardini (Italian, 1829-1879) An extraordinary Italian 19th century life-size carved Carrara white marble sculpture of "A Young Child and a baby in a wicker crib" - A Risorgimento Allegory subject. The older child's medallion inscribed with an interlocked XV and Garibaldi, the crib monogrammed: AR. Signed and dated: A.nio Tantanrdini F.ce / 1863. Circa: Florence, 1863. This sculpture includes a recent custom-made veined black marble pedestal stand. (The 2 items description mean the sculpture and pedestal, which are sold as sold a set.) In a country famed for its skilled carvers and working in an age when virtuoso carving technique was highly prized, Antonio Tantardini was one of the very best exponents of master carvers in nineteenth century Italy. Vicario describes Tantardini's skill as 'un abilità tecnica stupefacente'. The present amazing quality marble group epitomizes Tantardini's exceptional talents as a carver. Lesser sculptors might have shied away from attempting to carve a life-size wicker crib in marble, but Tantardini has clearly relished the Challenge. The result is a stunning achievement of verismo Italian sculpture. This marble group, however, is more than a paradigm of Italian marble carving, it is also a prime example of the use of Risorgimento allegory in Italian sculpture of the 1860s. Famous sculptural Risorgimento allegories include Raffaelle Monti...
Marble
$3,336Sale Price|50% Off
Orson Wells by Mario Napoli - Bronze 60x50x28 cm
By Mario Napoli
Located in Geneva, CH
Bronze sculpture by Mario Napoli, Swiss artist from XXth century. His works was sold 12 times in auctions since 2022. Work signed in the bronze. Edition ...
Bronze
$1,960Sale Price|20% Off
Painted Cast-Metal Tiger circa 1900
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Painted Cast-Metal Tiger Continental School, circa 1900 8.75 x 19.5 inches Ex. Collection Interior Designer Joseph Cicio Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Joseph Cicio followe...
Metal
$9,600Sale Price|20% Off
Seated Mercury, or Hermes - God of Speed
Located in New York, NY
This Mercury by Montagne has lovely patina and surface and is a pleasingly different depiction of Winged speed as he is seated! It is an arresting pose and elegant and covers all fa...
Bronze
$3,040Sale Price|20% Off
“Enlevement des Sabines”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a beautiful highly detailed bronze done in the forth quarter of the nineteen century after the work of Jean Boulogne, known as Giambologna. Boulogne’s sculpture was done in marble and was completed between 1579 and 1583. The sculptor of this bronze is Antonin Mercie, a well known French sculptor born in 1845. The bronze represents the Rape of the Sabine Women (Latin: Sabinae raptae), also known as the Abduction of the Sabine Women or the Kidnapping of the Sabine Women, was an incident in Roman mythology in which the men of Rome committed a mass abduction of young women from the other cities in the region. It has been a frequent subject of artists and sculptors, particularly during the Renaissance and post-Renaissance eras. Signed on base “Mercie” for Antonin Mercie.. In very good condition wirh original brown patina. The base which depicts rocks is bronze and has been painted a matt black. Provenance:: A Sarasota estate. Mercié, (Marius Jean Antonin Mercie...
Bronze
$8,351Sale Price|20% Off
Life-size Plaster Statue of The Callipygian Venus or Aphrodite 1920'
Located in Rome, IT
Italian life-size plaster sculpture , figure of the Callipygian Venus, after the antique Roman marble statue. Aphrodite Kallipygos, or Callipygian Venus literally means “Venus of ...
Plaster
Pathos
Located in New York, NY
A sensuous and fabulous piece to enjoy in the round as every vantage point is attractive or on a shelf or table. In the 19th century, the Italians and French were in a golden era f...
Bronze
$4,495
'Crokus', Plaster Sculpture, Bust of a Woman, Neoclassicism, Sweden, 1925.
Located in Malmö, SE
Tore Strindberg (Swedish, 1882-1968) 'Crokus', 1925. Medium: Plaster Dimensions: 37 × 16 x 18,5 cm Hand-signed by the artist, 'Tore Strindberg, Sculp.'. Condition: scratches and scu...
Plaster
$4,128Sale Price|38% Off
Antique Bronze Dog "Whippet with a Butterfly" Arthur Waagen (1833-1898) 2 of 2
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Bronze Dog Portrait “La Levrette au Papillon” or “Whippet (Greyhound) with a Butterfly” Arthur Waagen (Germany, France 1833-1898) Circa 1860’s 11 x 8 x 4 inches (2of 2. No...
Bronze
Outdoor Italian Stone Garden Sculptures of Mythological subject of Hercules
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in Vicenza limestone of Hercules in excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Timeless decoration for your interior or garden. Measurements: ...
Limestone
Outdoor Italian Stone Sculpture of Classical Torso with Base
Located in Rome, IT
This reproduction of a classical Hellenistic sculpture, a timeless piece for interior and a garden decoration. Measurement: Torso cm 100 base cm 70.
Limestone
Life Size Female Figure Sculpture – Contemporary Figurative Art by Zura
By Zura
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“Female Figure” (2023) by Zura is a life-size sculpture measuring 39 × 16 × 12 inches (99.1 × 40.6 × 30.5 cm), crafted in plaster with an option for bronze casting. This unique work ...
Bronze
$98,450Sale Price|21% Off
A French 19th Century Carved Marble Whimsical Figural Urn Fountain with Children
Located in LA, CA
A very fine large, rare and charming, French, 19th century. Belle Époque carved white marble whimsical figural urn fountain depicting children climbing on an urn with flowers and gar...
Marble
$960Sale Price|20% Off
“Quan Yin”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a vintage bronze statuette from the mid-20th century depicting Quan Yin. Created during the midcentury period, this bronze statuette features the Quan ...
Bronze
$6,495Sale Price|20% Off
Fabulous Italian Neoclassical Marble Sculpture of Hermes
Located in Rome, IT
19th century French finely chiseled bronze figure of Hermes . Signed Pigalle G . Cuspinera Hermes , the messenger of the gods, is sitting on a rock, ready to leap up. He is att...
Bronze
Large 19th Century Antique Marble Bust of Apollo of Belvedere
Located in New York, NY
Pietro Bazzanti (1842-1881) specialized in allegorical and genre subjects as well as copies of Antique and Renaissance sculpture. Regarded as one of the most talented sculptors of h...
Marble
$125,000
Italian 19th Century Carrara Marble Sculpture " Young Beauty Going for a Swim"
Located in LA, CA
A very fine Italian 19th century Carrara marble sculpture depicting a young beauty going for a Swim standing on the steps of a dock, raised on its original carved green marble pedest...
Marble
Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture of Diana Goddess of the Hunt Signed B. Boschetti.
Located in Rome, IT
Grand Tour Fine Group of Sculpture in Bronze after a Louvre Diana of Versailles or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Diana is represented at the hunt, hastening forward, as if in pursui...
Bronze
Four Season Extraordinary Set of Italian Stone Caryatids Sculptures
Located in Rome, IT
Four Caryatids sculptures with classically draped figures and their distinguishing symbols. Autumn, winter, spring and summer. Measures: Height with square form bases cm 220. Time...
Limestone
David Slaying Goliath Large Figural Bronze Statue by Antonin Mercie
Located in New York, NY
The base marked "A. Mercie" and "506 F. Barbenienne, Fondeur, Paris" ad "A. Collas" "Reduction Mecanique." The dazzling David, a prolific subject amongst sculpture artists beginning...
Bronze
Outdoor Italian Stone Garden Sculptures of Mythological subject of Hercules
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in Vicenza limestone of Hercules in excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Timeless decoration for your interior or garden. Measurements: ...
Limestone
$39,000
Victory - Athletic Young Man in Classical Pose, ( Female Sculptor )
By Evelyn Beatrice Longman
Located in Miami, FL
Evelyn Beatrice Longman was a trailblazing female artist getting major commissions at the very begining of the 20th century. Having lived in New York City, I used to walk by the life size version of this in Philip Johnson's ATT Building and it left me breathless every time. This classical bronze statue of a victorious and handsome young man is called "Victory...
Bronze
David Vainqueur de Goliath by Marius Jean Antonin Mercié
Located in New Orleans, LA
Marius Jean Antonin Mercié French (1845-1916) David vainqueur de Goliath (David, Victor of Goliath) Signed “A. Mercié” (on base) Bronze This incredible bronze sculpture, entitled ...
Bronze
$6,495Sale Price|30% Off
Apollo Marble Bust Sculpture of Grand Tour Mythological subject 1850'
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in white Carrara marble of Apollo bust .
Marble
Four Season Extraordinary Set of Italian Stone Caryatids Sculptures
Located in Rome, IT
Four Caryatids sculptures with classically draped figures and their distinguishing symbols. Autumn, winter, spring and summer. Measures: Height wi...
Limestone
Outdoor Italian Stone Garden Sculptures of Roman Mythological subject of Apollo
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in Vicenza limestone of Apollo in Excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Timeless decoration for your interior or garden. Measurements: St...
Limestone
$2,900Sale Price|50% Off
Orientalist African Hunter Sculpture, Carved Wood, 19th Century, 21in
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Orientalist African Hunter Leaning on His Shield Black Forest, School Switzerland 19th century Carved Wood 21 inches This is an exceptionally beautiful and exceptionally rare wood...
Wood
Pair of Neoclassical Terracotta Bust of Emperor Caracalla and Cicero
Located in Rome, IT
Pair of 19' century Italian Marble imitation painted Terracotta . Bust of Emperor Caracalla and Cicero . Measurements : cm 71 H x 60 Available also a pair marble imitation colum...
Terracotta
Italian Stone Garden Sculptures of Roman Mythological subject of Apollo
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in Vicenza limestone of Apollo in Excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Timeless decoration for your interior or garden. Measurements: St...
Limestone
American Bronze Sculpture of Male Nude Athlete during Shot Put.
Located in New York, NY
Clemente Spampinato, born in 1912 in Calabria, Italy, was a versatile artist and sports enthusiast. He created Bronze Trophies and Medallions for the Olympics and Italian sporting events in the 1930s and '40s. After becoming a U.S. citizen in 1947, he moved to New York, where he channeled his artistic passion into capturing the essence of the American West, specializing in sports and Western-themed sculptures. His work, celebrated for its realism and dynamic portrayal of athletic movements, is exhibited in museums, galleries, and private collections across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Selected sculptures can be seen in various locations, including Washington DC, Cooperstown, NY, Canton, OH, New Orleans, LA, and the complete collection is on display in Sea Cliff, New York. Large Bronze Nude Of Male Athlete During A Shot Put...
Bronze
Apollo Marble Bust Sculpture of Grand Tour Mythological subject 1850'
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in white Carrara marble of Apollo bust .
Marble
Italian Stone Garden Sculpture of Roman Mythological subject Apollo
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in Vicenza limestone of Apollo and Minerva Excellent condition from an estate of Veneto. Measurements: Statues cm 150, base cm 85.
Limestone
$4,500
Antique Bronze Bust of a Provincial French Woman C. 1882 by Émile Guillemin
Located in New York, NY
By Émile-Coriolan-Hippolyte Guillemin (French, 1841-1907) A lively bust of a young french woman; dynamically sculpted with an adorable upturned smile and glimmering eyes, in a chemi...
Marble, Bronze
Magnificent Italian Fountain Sculpture of Goddess with Delphines
Located in Rome, IT
Monumental finely carved limestone fountain sculpture of Goddess with a putto figure and three magnificent dolphins . Proveniente from an important Villa Veneta. Including a round ...
Limestone
Hercules Italian Stone Sculpture of Classical Torso with Base
Located in Rome, IT
This reproduction of a classical Hellenistic sculpture of Hercules . A timeless piece for interior and a garden decoration. We can raise with a base on request .
Limestone
Four Season Extraordinary Set of Italian Stone Caryatids Sculptures
Located in Rome, IT
Four Caryatids sculptures with classically draped figures and their distinguishing symbols. Autumn, winter, spring and summer. Measures: Height with square form bases cm 220. Time...
Limestone
Patinated Bronze Statuette of William Shakespeare
By Frederick William MacMonnies
Located in New Orleans, LA
Frederick William MacMonnies 1863–1937 American William Shakespeare Signed "F. MacMonnies" and foundry-marked "E. Gruet Jeune, Fondeur, Paris" Bronze Frederick William MacMonnies...
Bronze
Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture of Diana Goddess of the Hunt Signed B. Boschetti.
Located in Rome, IT
Grand Tour Fine Group of Sculpture in Bronze after a Louvre Diana of Versailles or Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Diana is represented at the hunt, hastening forward, as if in pursui...
Bronze
Marble Sculpture of Roman Mythological subject Apollo
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in white Carrara marble of Apollo head .
Limestone
Meissen, Louise Sleeping, after a drawing by Greuze, 19th Century figurine
By (Circle of) Jean Baptiste Greuze
Located in Norwich, GB
As all of you will know, every Meissen figure is painted individually by an artist. While all Meissen is of high quality, I feel that the present figure is particularly fine, with th...
Porcelain
Ready.
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Classical ballet was my main source of inspiration. Grace and beauty of ballerinas combining with extremely hard work they do. This combination is shocking and inspiring in the same...
Bronze
Hercules Italian Stone Sculpture of Classical Torso with Base
Located in Rome, IT
This reproduction of a classical Hellenistic sculpture of Hercules . A timeless piece for interior and a garden decoration. We can raise with a base on request .
Limestone