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Academic Art

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. 

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Style: Academic
French Woman with a Officer - Ink drawing - 1916
French Woman with a Officer - Ink drawing - 1916

French Woman with a Officer - Ink drawing - 1916

By Georges Conrad

Located in Paris, IDF

Georges CONRAD (1874-1936) French Woman with a Officer Original India ink and pencil drawing Signed with the stamp of atelier On paper 26.5 x 20 cm (c. 10,4 x 7.8 in) Very good co...

Category

1910s Academic Art

Materials

India Ink, Color Pencil

DY Cameron 19th c. European Village Etching
DY Cameron 19th c. European Village Etching

DY Cameron 19th c. European Village Etching

By David Young Cameron

Located in New York, NY

D.Y. (David Young) Cameron (Scottish, 1865-1945) The Border Tower, c. 1893 Etching Sight: 9 x 13 1/4 in. Framed: 15 1/4 x 19 1/2 x 1/2 in. Signed in pencil lower right Cameron trained at the Glasgow and Edinburgh Schools of Art in the early 1880s and was at first associated with the Glasgow Boys. He became a leader in the Scottish etching...

Category

1890s Academic Art

Materials

Etching

Early 19th Century English watercolour of woodland near Croxdale Hall
Early 19th Century English watercolour of woodland near Croxdale Hall

Early 19th Century English watercolour of woodland near Croxdale Hall

Located in Harkstead, GB

A very attractive and meticulously executed view of a rocky landscape within the woods dating to 1823. This would suit a library or study with its muted tones and skifull draughtsmanship. William Nicholson (1781-1844) Near Croxdale Hall Signed with initials and inscribed with title and date 1823 Pen, ink and grey wash 11 x 8 inches, image only 17 x 13 inches without frame The portrait-painter and etcher William Nicholson was born in Ovingham-on-Tyne, Northumberland, on Christmas Day 1781. His family transferred to Newcastle when his father was appointed Headmaster of the city's Grammar School. At an early age, though, Nicholson appears to have moved to Hull where he made his artistic debut, painting miniatures of officers garrisoned there. He was almost entirely self-taught, learning his craft through the close study of artworks in private and public galleries. He subsequently returned to Newcastle where he received many commissions to paint portraits of the old families of Northumberland. In 1808, he began to exhibit at the Royal Academy, continuing to do so until 1822. By 1814, Nicholson, whose mother was a Scot, had moved to Edinburgh where he set up as a miniaturist and painter in oils. Soon, however, he began to specialize in watercolour portraits. Early subjects included the actor Daniel Terry and the poet and novelist James Hogg. In 1818 he began to publish a series of Portraits of Eminent Scotsmen, etched from his own portraits and those of other painters. Besides Scott and Hogg, the subjects included the writers Robert Burns, John Wilson ('Christopher North'), and Lord Jeffrey, the painters Sir Henry Raeburn, the divines Alexander Carlyle and Alexander Cameron, the engineer James Watt, the architect John Playfair, and the song-collector and composer George Thomson...

Category

Early 19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Ink, 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 Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Young Woman with Headdress"
"Young Woman with Headdress"

"Young Woman with Headdress"

Located in Southampton, NY

Here for your consideration is a late 19th century needlepoint, petitepoint and beaded portrait of a young woman. It is a highly detailed and meticulously crafted beaded portrait wi...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Other Medium

“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 Art

Materials

Oil, Fiberboard

Plums: George Brookshaw's Framed Hand-colored 19th C. Aquatint
Plums: George Brookshaw's Framed Hand-colored 19th C. Aquatint

Plums: George Brookshaw's Framed Hand-colored 19th C. Aquatint

By George Brookshaw

Located in Alamo, CA

George Brookshaw's (1751-1823) beautiful "Plums" hand colored aquatint engraving from his "Pomona Brittanica", considered to be the finest British botanical large format treatise of the 19th-century. His engravings were unique for their rich tones and colors, elegant compositions with the fruit seeming to float on a mottled sumptuous background. There are purple, mustard-colored plums on brown branches with green leaves over a two-tone dark brown and light tan background. The print is presented in an ornate bronze-colored wood frame with gold-colored inner and outer trims and a triple mat. The outer mat is a marbled light...

Category

Early 19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Aquatint

"Et in Arcadia Ego Academic Drawing, Pencil on Paper, Signed J. Miró"
"Et in Arcadia Ego Academic Drawing, Pencil on Paper, Signed J. Miró"

"Et in Arcadia Ego Academic Drawing, Pencil on Paper, Signed J. Miró"

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Title: Et in Arcadia ego Artist: Signed “J. Miró” Technique: Pencil and charcoal on paper Paper size: 49 × 39 cm (19.3 × 15.4 in) Framed size: 64 × 53 cm (25.2 × 20.9 in) Date: Decem...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Art

Materials

Pencil

Seascape, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Seascape, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Seascape, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2017 Style: Impressionism Title: Seascape Size: 23.5" x 35.5" x 0.8'...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, 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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chamomile & Safflower: A 17th-18th C. Besler Hand-colored Botanical Engraving
Chamomile & Safflower: A 17th-18th C. Besler Hand-colored Botanical Engraving

Chamomile & Safflower: A 17th-18th C. Besler Hand-colored Botanical Engraving

By Basilius Besler 1

Located in Alamo, CA

This is a hand-colored copper plate engraving entitled "Chamemelum Romanum flore simplici (Chamomile), Cincus Sativus (False saffron, Safflower), Chamaemelum Romanum Flore (Roman Chamomile)", depicting flowering Chamomile, Safflower and Roman Chamomile plants respectively from Basilius Besler's landmark work, Hortus Eystettensis (Garden at Eichstatt), first published in 1613 in Eichstatt, Germany near Nuremberg and later in 1640 and 1713. This beautiful colorful engraving is printed on thin laid chain-linked paper with wide margins. There are a few small spots and some irregularity of the lower edge. There is some bleed-through of text from the verso. The print is otherwise in excellent condition with striking hand-coloring. The sheet measures 22.25" high and 17.38" wide. Basilius Besler (1561–1629) was an apothecary and botanist. He was curator of the Willibaldsburg Castle garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, prince bishop...

Category

Early 18th Century Academic Art

Materials

Engraving

“Alpine Cottages”
“Alpine Cottages”

“Alpine Cottages”

Located in Southampton, NY

Beautiful oil on canvas painting of Alpine cottages by the German artist, Karl Schaette. Signed lower left “Schaette, Muchen”. Condition is very good. Slight crazing in the trees. Tiny repaired puncture in the sky. Circa 1930. The painting is framed in its original Newcomb Macklin gold leaf frame. Overall measurements framed are 36.5 by 36.5 inches. Provenance: A Long Island, New York estate. Carl Schaette (1884 - 1951) was active/lived in Germany. Carl Schaette is known for Landscape painting and belonged to the Munich school...

Category

1930s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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

Anatomy Drawings 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 blue folder/ thick paper, unframed top drawing: 7.25 x 9...

Category

20th Century Academic Art

Materials

Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil

“San Pedro Harbor California”
“San Pedro Harbor California”

“San Pedro Harbor California”

By Emil Kosa Jr.

Located in Southampton, NY

Original watercolor on archival paper of the harbor in San Pedro California by the well known American artist, Emil Kosa Jr. Signed lower left. Circa 1935. Condition is excellent. O...

Category

1930s Academic Art

Materials

Watercolor, Archival Paper

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still life pear and grape - Oil on canvas 25x30 cm
Still life pear and grape - Oil on canvas 25x30 cm

Still life pear and grape - Oil on canvas 25x30 cm

Located in Geneva, CH

Oil on canvas with frame unsigned Total size with frame 31x39 cm

Category

20th Century Academic Art

Materials

Oil

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

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 Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Chartres La Mort de la Viegre X111”
Chartres La Mort de la Viegre X111”

Chartres La Mort de la Viegre X111”

Located in Southampton, NY

Original photo mechanical print handcolored throughout by the French artist, Lucy Garnot. Signed and titled bottom. Circa 1900. Condition is very go...

Category

Early 1900s Academic Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Photogravure

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 Art

Materials

Oil

1974 oil painting still life of strawberries by British artist George Weissbort
1974 oil painting still life of strawberries by British artist George Weissbort

1974 oil painting still life of strawberries by British artist George Weissbort

By George Weissbort

Located in Petworth, West Sussex

George Weissbort (Belgian / British, 1928 – 2013) Strawberries Oil on canvasboard Signed and dated ‘G Weissbort 1974’ (lower right) 18.1/4 x 20.1/8 in. (46.3 x 51 cm.) George We...

Category

Mid-20th Century Academic Art

Materials

Oil, Board

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: 11.75 x 18 inches overall size: 19.75 x 13 in...

Category

20th Century Academic Art

Materials

Charcoal, Crayon, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil

Play on the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Play on the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Play on the Beach, Impressionism, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2017 Style: Impressionism Title: Play on the Beach Size: 11" x 14" x ...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Farm, Original oil Painting, Impressionism, One of a Kind
Farm, Original oil Painting, Impressionism, One of a Kind

Farm, Original oil Painting, Impressionism, 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: Farm Size: 16" x 20" x 0.8'' inch, ...

Category

2010s Academic Art

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 Art

Materials

Pencil, Pen

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 Art

Materials

Pencil, Pen

Academic art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Academic art 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 art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of purple, blue, orange, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Karen Darbinyan, Owen Jones, Paul Jones b.1921, and Mark Beard. 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 art, so small editions measuring 1.5 inches across are also available. Prices for art 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 $11 and tops out at $700,000, while the average work sells for $1,444.