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.
Portrait of a Young Boy with Cap and Red Scarf, European Oil Painting
Located in Genève, GE
Dimension with frame: 42,5 x 34,5 x 4 cm. A sensitive and finely observed portrait of a young boy shown in profile, wearing a dark cap and a vivid red scarf. The composition is inti...
Oil, Cardboard
Fishing Boat, Seascape Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Fishing Boat, Size: 8.5" x 12" x 0....
Canvas, Oil
“Shipping in Southampton Water”
By Ebenezer Colls
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of a large sailing vessel traveling through Southampton waters in England in a dramatic sunset. The artist is the well known British marine artist Ebe...
Canvas, Oil
$240Sale Price|60% Off
Dance school by Benjamin II Vautier - Drawing 33x46 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper Golden wooden frame with glass pane 49,5 x 63 x 2 cm
Pencil
$544Sale Price|61% Off
Lively alley by Pierre Duc - Watercolor
By Pierre Duc
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on arch paper Black wooden frame with glass pane 87 x 67,5 x 1,5 cm
Watercolor, Pastel
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 refined taste of the Neoclassical Grand Tour pe...
Marble
“Gloucester Harbor Docks”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of fishing boats docked In Gloucester harbor in Massachusetts by the well known marine painter, Hjalmar “Cappy” Amundsen. Signed lower left “A. Emers...
Canvas, Oil
Large Antique French 19th Century Oil Canvas Painting "Hearts Awakening" Cherubs
Located in Portland, OR
A fine late 19th century oil on canvas painting, circa of William-Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905). Oil on canvas painting depicting a woman with two cherubs in a garden. After...
Oil, Canvas
$2,100Sale Price|34% Off
“Sunset on the River”
Located in Southampton, NY
Beautifully painted sunset on the river with a single figure in a punt and cattle crossing by the American artist, George Riecke. Most likely a New Orlea...
Canvas, Oil
South Bay, 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: South Bay Size: 29" x 39.5" x 0.8'' ...
Canvas, Oil
$3,704Sale Price|20% Off
Lively conversation around a balustrade
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas Dimensions with frame : 83 x 101.5 x 3.5 cm This 19th-century painting depicts a genre scene, typical of the academic and romantic art of the period. It shows three fi...
Oil
$9,600Sale Price|20% Off
“Summer”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a wonderful large panoramic original oil painting by the well known American artist, Charles Wilson Knapp. Signed lower right. Circa 1880. Condition...
Canvas, Oil
$1,039Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century French Realist Oil Profile Portrait of Lady Beautiful Quality
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
French realist artist of the 19th century oil painting on board, unframed board: 12.5 x 10.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: ...
Oil
Ocean Side, 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: 2024 Style: Impressionism Title: Ocean Side Size: 29.5" x 39" x 0.8'...
Canvas, Oil
Venice, Architecture, Cityscape, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Karen Darbinyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2023 Style: Impressionism Title: Venice Size: 16" x 21.5" x 0.8'' inc...
Canvas, Oil
$1,500Sale Price|50% Off
PASSION #3 - nude male painting by Paula Craioveanu oil on canvas
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Passion #3" . Composition with Two Male Nudes, oil on canvas, 35.5x19.5in / 90x50cm Part of "Wings of Gods" solo show, April 2024. see pictures from the show. Shipped as it is, stre...
Canvas, Oil
Parade in Geneva, 19th Century European Historical Oil Painting
Located in Genève, GE
Signed "A Dovianne" in the lower left corner. A vibrant and highly detailed historical scene depicting a ceremonial procession of mounted figures crossing a grand city square in Geneva, richly adorned with festive banners and flags. The composition is animated by a rhythmic procession of elegantly dressed horsemen, accompanied by soldiers and attendants, creating a dynamic sense of movement and civic pageantry. At the center of the scene, a monumental statue anchors the composition, reinforcing the public and historical significance of the event. The surrounding architecture, carefully rendered, is decorated with numerous flags suggesting a moment of national celebration or official ceremony within the city. The artist demonstrates strong academic training in the rendering of figures, horses, and perspective. The palette is lively yet balanced, combining warm earth tones with vibrant reds, blues, and gold accents, while the softly illuminated sky provides atmospheric contrast. This work belongs to the tradition of 19th century European historical painting, with particular appeal for collectors interested in Swiss subjects, civic celebrations, and narrative compositions. défilé à genève painting, geneva parade painting, swiss historical painting, military parade oil painting, horsemen procession art, 19th century history painting, geneva city scene oil, swiss flags painting, ceremonial parade artwork, cavalry painting...
Canvas, Oil
$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
$420Sale Price|20% Off
“Portuguese Fisherman”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original watercolor on archival paper of a Portuguese fisherman with fishing boats in the background. Done in an academic style. Great detail. Signed by the artist and dated 1971 lo...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
$547Sale Price|20% Off
Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of a Horse Being Fitted with a Bridle
By Robert Ladou
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: Original French Anatomical Pencil Study of a Horse Being Fitted with a Bridle Artist: Robert Ladou (French, 1929-2014) Medium: Pencil and Watercolor on Paper Size: 18.75 (Heig...
Pencil, Watercolor
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
“Tipos”
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil paint on heavy illustration board by the Spanish artist, Cecilio Pla. Signed lower right. Titled and signed verso. “Tipos” means types; different type...
Oil, Illustration Board
"L'Infini"
By Pierre Charles Lenoir
Located in Southampton, NY
Circa 1910 bronze cast medal by the French sculptor, Pierre Charles Lenoir. Edge mark, cornucopia. Pierre Lenoir was a French sculptor and medallist and was one of the Breton sculp...
Bronze
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
The Painter's Studio original painting by Paula Craioveanu oil on canvas Framed
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"The Painter's Studio", oil on canvas, 39x27.5in / 100x70cm The artist's studio and art objects part of artist' life and work. A sculpture, an antique head and a painting that remin...
Canvas, Oil
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Apples and Lemons by Edith LUTZ - Oil on Canvas - 64x96 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Edith Lutz-Romani (1894-1983) was an Austrian painter active during the 20th century. Although detailed information about her life is limited, she was born in 1894 and developed her ...
Canvas, Oil
$795Sale Price|33% Off
"Daffodils in Ceramic Pitcher"
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a beautiful watercolor still life on heavy paper by the German artist, E. Riehle. Signed and dated lower right, 1903. In good condition with it's orig...
Paper, Watercolor
$380Sale Price|20% Off
“Forbidden Stitch Chinese Embroidery”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a vintage Chinese forbidden stitch silk embroidery metallic couching textile badge on a pure silk panel. Under glass. C...
Silk, Thread
$2,745Sale Price|20% Off
Departure of the infantrymen for the war of 14, signed
Located in Genève, GE
Work on canvas signed lower right Dimension with frame 70 x 80 x 6 cm This striking work captures a group of French soldiers marching determinedly along a dusty road, with the distan...
Oil
$498Sale Price|30% Off
Elisabeth Voigt – Signed German Landscape Oil Painting, circa 1950s
Located in Zofingen, AG
Elisabeth Voigt (German, 20th Century, d. 1977) Oil on board (likely hardboard / Masonite); Dimensions: • Image: 22 × 16 cm • Framed: 35x29x5 cm Signed lower left. A charming and...
Oil, Panel
Academic French Painting Circle of BOUGUEREAU The grape picker Young girl 19th
Located in PARIS, FR
William Bouguereau (Circle of) La Rochelle, 1825 – La Rochelle, 1905 The Little Grape Picker Oil on canvas 54 x 38 cm (64 x 48 cm with frame) Unsigned Beautiful 19th-century giltwood...
Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
“View of Bay of Naples”
Located in Southampton, NY
Very well executed original gouache on archival paper of a group of figures on an overlook viewing the Bay of Naples by the Italian artist, Maria Ada Gianni...
Gouache, Archival Paper
$1,830Sale Price|20% Off
Elegant Portrait of a Lady in Fur Stole, Early 20th Century”no signed
Located in Genève, GE
Elegant Portrait of a Lady — Early 20th Century Oil on Canvas no signed A captivating and refined portrait of an elegant lady seated gracefully, dressed in a sumptuous dark gown ador...
Canvas, Oil
Performance, Figurative Surrealism, Original oil Painting
By Ashot Yan
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Ashot Yan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Linen, Year: 2018 Style: Surrealism, Title: Performance Size: 23.5" x 23.5" x 1'' inch,...
Canvas, Oil
Horse and Woman, Abstract Screenprint with Gold Paint by Lebadang
By Hoi Lebadang
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Lebadang, Vietnamese (1922 - 2015) Title: Untitled - Horse and Woman Medium: Screenprint with Gold Paint, signed in pencil Edition: EA Size: 30...
Gold Leaf
Farmer, 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: Farmer Size: 16.5" x 21.5" x 0.8'' i...
Oil, Canvas
$1,900Sale Price|32% Off
“Misty Morning Gloucester”
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on artist board painting of a misty morning in Gloucester Harbor by the Provincetown artist, Kay Kellogg. Signed lower left. Circa 1935. The painting d...
Oil, Board
Ocean Cliffs, 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 Cliffs Size: 29.5" x 39.5" x 0...
Canvas, Oil
$5,200Sale Price|20% Off
Wounded Achilles En Grisaille Oil on Canvas Painting by Philip Melville Courtney
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Classical Male Nude Painting, After the Antique — Inspired by Wounded Achilles Oil on Canvas, Contemporary This exceptional en grisaille oil on canvas figurative painting is inspired...
Oil
Merab and Michal by Edwin Longsden Long
Located in New Orleans, LA
Edwin Longsden Long 1829–1891 British Merab and Michal Both signed with monogram (lower left and right) Oil on canvas The paintings of Edwin Longsden Long stand among the most ce...
Canvas, Oil
"Portrait of Rebecca" Harriet Peale, Early American Female Portrait
By Harriet Cany Peale
Located in New York, NY
Harriet Peale Portrait of Rebecca, 1840 Inscribed verso, “Portrait of Rebecca Greenwood (?)/ Aged 25 years/ Painted by Harriet C. Cany/ May 1840” Oil on canvas 28 3/4 x 23 3/4 inches...
Canvas, Oil
$3,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Portrait of the Black Ball Clipper Montezuma"
Located in Southampton, NY
Watercolor on paper by William Minshall Birchall of the black ball clipper ship, the Montezuma. Titled and signed W. M. Birchall lower left in pencil. Findlay Gallery label verso. 0riginal frame and mat with normal wear due to age. The American packet ship...
Paper, Watercolor
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
$34,000Sale Price|20% Off
Seated Mercury Life-size Grand Tour Bronze Sculpture
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
Silent Interior in the Manner of Vilhelm Hammershøi
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rikard Lindström (1882–1942) Silent Interior oil on canvas mounted on board signed lower right framed: 50 x 58 cm (19.69 x 22.83 inches) unframed: 39 x 47 cm (visible image) (15.35...
Canvas, Oil, Board
Portrait of a Lady with Red Fan, Oil on Canvas, Circa 1945
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Artist: Francesc Domingo i Segura (Barcelona, 1893 – São Paulo, 1974) Title: Portrait of a Lady with Red Fan Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 76 × 56 cm (29.9 × 22 in), unframed Signature: Signed lower left “F. Domingo” Estimated Date: ca. 1945–1955 Provenance: Private collection Condition Report: Homogeneous superficial craquelure across the surface, especially in the background; varnish possibly not original, with slight yellowing. No paint losses or visible dirt. Canvas stable and well-stretched. DESCRIPTION This female portrait depicts a distinguished woman dressed in a floral-patterned gown in green and pink tones, holding a red fan that provides contrast and character to the composition. The sitter, with a serene expression and a slightly melancholic gaze, is softly illuminated, highlighting the texture of her hair and the delicacy of her skin. The work exemplifies Francesc Domingo’s mature style, where his academic beginnings merge with a livelier palette and touches of modernity, particularly visible in the treatment of patterns. The pink background, with loose brushwork and an almost abstract texture, enhances the sitter’s presence. ARTIST BIOGRAPHY Francesc Domingo i Segura (Barcelona, 1893 – São Paulo, 1974) was one of the most versatile Catalan painters of the 20th century. Trained at the Escola Superior de Belles Oficis of the Mancomunitat, he began in the Noucentisme movement and later traveled to Paris, where he absorbed the influence of Cézanne, Cubism, and modern currents. In the 1930s, he cultivated social realism with scenes of Barcelona’s Paral·lel district and the working-class world. After the Spanish Civil War, he went into exile in Latin America, residing first in Buenos Aires and later in São Paulo, where he taught printmaking and co-founded the Grupo Bisonte. His work, with both European influences and local echoes, is represented in museums such as the MNAC and in international collections. SIMILAR ARTISTS For his focus on portraiture and the fusion of academicism and modernity, Francesc Domingo can be compared with: Ricardo Macarrón...
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Young Lady in Blue Empire Dress, 19th Century
Located in Genève, GE
Dimensions with frame: 43,5 x 38,5 x 8 cm. This refined oil portrait depicts a young woman presented in a graceful three-quarter pose, her soft gaze and subtle smile conveying both ...
Canvas, Oil
Prosperous Family: Academic Figurative Painting by Mark Beard aka Bruce Sargeant
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic style figurative painting on canvas of a family and red tractor against a classic American farm field "Prosperous Family", painted by Mark Beard under his fictitious persona, Bruce Sargeant 84 x 58 inches unframed, 91 x 65 x 3 inches with a gold painted wood frame Excellent condition, ready to hang as is This Academic style figurative oil painting on canvas was painted by Mark Beard as Bruce Sargeant, a pseudonym in homage to the fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, and figurative painter, John Singer Sargeant. Here, the artist captures a blue collar American farming family in their field with an old red tractor. The man and woman stand stoically with their young child, dressed in simple white garments, perhaps to symbolize their purity. Rolling mountains...
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
“The French Cavalier”
By Alex De Andreis
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas portrait of a French cavalier by the well known French/Belgian artist, Alex de Andreis. Signed lower right and dated 1924. Condition is very good. Original N...
Canvas, Oil
$2,830Sale Price|20% Off
Young Italian woman in traditional dress holding a tambourine
Located in Genève, GE
This superb 19th-century portrait depicts a young Italian woman in traditional dress, holding a tambourine, a symbol of music and popular celebration. Dressed in a white shirt with ...
Canvas, Oil
$22,800Sale Price|20% Off
The Archer Large Classical Male Nude Bronze Sculpture by Ernst Moritz Geyger
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
“Still Life with Fruit”
By Oliver Clare
Located in Southampton, NY
Very well Victorian still life of fruit by the renowned botanical artist, Oliver Clare. Signed by the artist lower right. Circa 1880. Condition is very good. The painting is housed i...
Oil, Canvas
Beach, Coastal, 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: 2019 Style: Impressionism Title: Beach Size: 24" x 30" x 0.8'' inch, ...
Canvas, Oil
'Still Life, Red Tulips with Japanese Porcelain', Belgian Lace, Japonaiserie
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
A finely-drawn, pastel still-life showing red tulips informally arranged in a Chelsea soft paste porcelain Chocolate pot decorated in the Japanese style and set beside a cup and sauc...
Gold Leaf
ACADEMIC MALE NUDE FIGURE STUDIES
Located in Portland, ME
Michallet (attributed). ACADEMIC MALE NUDE FIGURE STUDIES. Four Charcoal drawings, each on heavy wove paper, 19th Century. 24 1/2 x 19 1/8 inches (s...
Charcoal
Carrying Fruit, Abstract Gold Leaf Screenprint by Lebadang aka Hoi
By Hoi Lebadang
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Lebadang, Vietnamese (1922 - 2015) Title: Untitled - Carrying Fruit Medium: Screenprint, signed in pencil Edition: EA Size: 47 x 20.5 in. (119.38 x 52.07 cm)
Gold Leaf
After Storm, 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: 2024 Style: Impressionism Title: After Storm Size: 29" x 39" x 0.8''...
Canvas, 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
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
$19,600Sale Price|20% Off
The Wrestlers Life-size Plaster Cast Sculpture Mid-19th Century Male Nude
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
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