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.
Flowering Lily Plants: A 17th C. Besler Hand-colored Botanical Engraving
Located in Alamo, CA
This is a hand-colored copper plate engraving entitled "Cataputia Vulgaris, Parietaria Sylvestris, Nummularia", depicting flowering Spanish Nut, Yellow Turk's-cap Lily, Yellow Turk's...
Engraving
"Woman with Violets" Margaret Longstreith Baugh, Early Female American Artist
Located in New York, NY
Margaret Longstreith Baugh Woman with Violets, circa 1901 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 26 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches Provenance Walker-Cunningham Fine Art, St. Louis, Missouri, 2007 Pr...
Canvas, Oil
$3,297Sale Price|20% Off
GOUY large pastel woman model nude french painter Salon Paris 19th
Located in PARIS, FR
Jeanne GOUY (Active between 1890 and 1904) Pastel on paper Signed lower right "Jeanne Gouy" 66 x 82 cm (83 x 100 cm with the frame) Jeanne Gouy studied with the academic painter Jules Machard...
Pastel
Academy of seated nude of 19th century Italian school
Located in Florence, IT
Seated male nude that falls fully within the academic "model from life" production of the early 19th century, as also seems confirmed by the "Titus-like" hairdo of the effigy. The s...
Paper, Pencil
Morning moments - Pencil drawing - circa 1914
Located in Paris, IDF
Georges CONRAD (1874-1936) Morning moments Original India ink drawing Signed with the stamp of atelier On paper 26.5 x 20 cm (c. 10,4 x 7.8 in) Very good condition, paper lightly y...
India Ink
$6,800Sale Price|20% Off
"Harvest" Samuel S. Carr, American Pastoral Scene, Child in Wheat Field
By Samuel S. Carr
Located in New York, NY
Samuel S. Carr Harvest Signed lower left Oil on canvas 16 x 12 inches Samuel S. Carr was an American pastoral and landscape painter. Originally from England, he trained at the Roy...
Canvas, Oil
$2,000
'A Day in the Country' Dutch Scene, Oil on Linen Painting by Alyona Kostina
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This warm, realistic painting depicting a day exploring the Dutch countryside features a golden field with a stream bisecting the landscape with windmills dotting the landscape. The...
Linen, Oil
$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
$4,500
"Portrait of Fanny Adam" Mary Jane Peale, Mid-19th Century, Early Portrait
Located in New York, NY
Mary Jane Peale Portrait of Fanny Adam, 1857 A scanned photograph of the back of the canvas taken prior to relining shows the inscription "Fanny Adam / painted by / Mary J. Peale / P...
Canvas, Oil
$3,000
"Study for Alyssa II" 2018 - Charcoal drawing, portrait of young woman, framed
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
A charcoal portrait drawing of a young woman, perfectly poised and staring directly at the viewer. Her face is executed with exceptional detail, and is the focal point of the composi...
Charcoal, Archival Paper
$3,500
"Interior Scene with Lady and Two Children" Sarah Anne Freeman Clarke
Located in New York, NY
Sarah Anne Freeman Clarke Interior Scene with Lady and Two Children, 1883 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 32 x 27 inches Sarah Anne Freeman Clarke was born in Massachusetts in 180...
Canvas, Oil
Provocative 19th Century Folk Art painting of a young boy holding thorny flowers
Located in Colfax, CA
A great 19th century folk art painting of a young boy posed, carefully holding thorny flowers between two fingers. His belt buckle has initials monogrammed, the last being an 'A' pos...
Oil
$706Sale Price|20% Off
Óleo sobre tela - Retrato de caballero con sombrero
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
Firmado en la parte inferior (desconozco el artista) Se presenta sin enmarcar la pintura El estado de la pintura es aceptable Medidas obra: 58 x 48 cm.
Oil
"Ships at Sunset" Hendricks Hallett, Fiery Sunset, Sailing Ships, Marine Scene
Located in New York, NY
Hendricks Hallett Ships at Sunset Signed lower left Oil on canvas 22 x 27 inches Hallett, originally from Massachusetts, pursued his studies in Antwerp and Paris. He is primarily r...
Canvas, Oil
A Fine French 19th Century Oil on Board "A Standing Beauty with Spring Roses"
Located in LA, CA
A very fine French 19th century oil on board titled "A Standing Beauty with Spring Roses" by Charles Baptiste Schreiber (French, 1845-1903)...
Wood, Oil
Picnic on the Hudson
Located in New York, NY
Picnic on the Hudson is a significant canvas painted circa 1860 as Whittredge was purposely transitioning his European training and experience into a purely American style and genre....
Canvas, Oil
$3,400Sale Price|29% Off
“Continental Landscape”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on wooden oak panel of a traditional figural landscape of an incoming storm with figures fishing in the foreground. No visible signature. Condition is excellent. Wonder...
Oil, Board
$10,011
Diana the Huntress, a bronze sculpture by Alexandre Falguière (1831–1900)
Located in Gent, VOV
This majestic bronze sculpture, titled Diana the Huntress, is the work of renowned French sculptor Alexandre Falguière, created in 1882. The Roman goddess of the hunt is depicted in ...
Bronze
Icarus & Phaeton - Etching (1897)
Located in Paris, IDF
ARTIST: after Auguste RODIN TITLE : Icarus and Phaeton MEDIUM : Etching/photogravure after the original drawing SIGNATURE : Unsigned YEAR : 1897 PAPER : Vellum SIZE : 13 x 10" ...
Etching
Cake Mountain
Located in Greenville, DE
Still life painting by Tina Ingraham, "Cake Mountain." Oil on linen, 27 x 27 inches framed. Ingraham traveled Europe studying Old Master works, mosaics, and contemporary painters tha...
Linen, Oil
A Party To The Castle in 18th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A Party To The Castle in the 18th Century Oil on canvas with a signature G.Weiss low left Old frame regilded Dim canvas : 46 X 38 cm Dim frame : 66 X 58 cm
Oil
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
$960Sale Price|20% Off
“Haughton in the County of Nottingham” (Near Newark Upon Trent)
By Johannes Kip
Located in Southampton, NY
An original hand colored engraving by Johannes 'Jan' Kip (1653-1722) of Haughton in the County of Nottinghamshire, one of the seats of Prince John Duke of ...
Engraving
$460Sale Price|20% Off
“Portland Harbor in 1910”
Located in Southampton, NY
Beautiful watercolor and gouache on archival paper by the well known Maine artist Bill Paxton. The watercolor depicts what Portland harbor in Maine looked like in 1910 with sailing vessels of the era moored in the harbor. Signed lower right by the artist. Titled verso. Circa 1975. Condition is excellent and is finely matted and framed. The artwork is matted and framed in a thin gold leaf custom gallery frame. Overall framed measurements are 17.5 by 21.75 inches. Provenance: Sarasota, Florida estate. William (Bill) Paxton 1930—2007 William Paxton, born August 5, 1930 in Lewiston, was one of Maine’s top selling artists. He had a passion for painting and from a young age he was known for his talents in sketching. Paxton captured many popular Maine scenes with watercolor, acrylic, and oils. His work also includes historical scenes he referenced in books from as early as the 1920’s, painting locomotives, aircraft, and war scenes. Paxton’s art is sold all over the world. As a student at Bridgton Academy, he was featured in his yearbook. It states, “When artist Bill picks up his pen, we all stand at attention, for his remarks and pictures are certainly worth mention.” He wanted to pursue a career selling his art, but it was during the time of the Great Depression. Also in his younger years, Paxton had an interest in skiing and won a medal for Second Highest Ski Jump. From there he went to flying and received a certification for Second-in-Command, to fly alongside the captain in a C-46F type of aircraft. He then joined the Air Force in the 40’s, although his passion and talents for art were constant throughout his life. Paxton quickly became the front line military sketch...
Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper
"Moss Rose" Emily Cole, Early American Female Artist, Light Pink Flower, Floral
Located in New York, NY
Emily Cole Moss Rose, circa 1890 Watercolor on paper Sight 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches Provenance The artist Edith Cole Silberstein, the artist's granddaughter, by descent Dr. Clark S. Mar...
Paper, Watercolor
$8,509Sale 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
$2,200Sale Price|20% Off
Untitled (Cafe Interior), Shimshon Holzman
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Shimshon Holzman (1907-1986) Title: Untitled (Cafe Interior) Year: 1962 Medium: Watercolor and graphite on wove paper Size: 27.75 x 19.75 inches ...
Watercolor, Graphite
$2,200Sale Price|42% Off
"White Vase"
By Margaret Fulton Spencer
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on canvas painting of a still life with white vase by the American artist Margaret Fulton Spencer.Signed middle bottom. Titled verso. In original condition; unlined. The painting is housed in a art nouveau reproduction frame. Overall 27.25 by 23.25 inches. Biography forMargaret Spencer The niece of painters Thomas Alexander...
Canvas, Oil
“Clipper Ship under Full Sail”
Located in Southampton, NY
Original oil on canvas painting of a clipper ship under full sail. Signed “T. Bailey” lower right. Condition is good. Original gold frame with wear consistent with age. Overall frame...
Canvas, Oil
"View on Long Island" James Henry Cafferty, Hudson River School Summer Landscape
Located in New York, NY
James Henry Cafferty Landscape and Figures (New Jersey or Long Island), 1845 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 21 x 17 1/4 inches Provenance The artist John L. Schoolcraft, Albany, N...
Canvas, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
“Still Life with Strawberries”
Located in Southampton, NY
Very nicely executed original still life oil painting on fiberboard of strawberries by an unknown artist. Signed lower right, Charles Burch. I believe this painting is quite possibly the work of Edward Pritchard...
Oil, Fiberboard
Break at the Inn for the Rural Policeman 19th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
DE LAUNEY Fernand (19th Century) Break at the Inn for the Rural Policeman Oil on Wood Panel signed Low Left Old frame gilded with Leaves Dim wood : 33 X 41 cm Dim frame : 48 X 56 cm...
Oil
Portrait Beautiful Woman SALOMAN Gouache Danish Swedish painter 19th
By Geskel Saloman
Located in PARIS, FR
Geskel SALOMAN Tonder (Denmark) 1821 – Bastad (Sweden), 1902 Portrait of a woman with a book Gouache on bone 8.8 x 8.5 cm (16.5 x 15.5 cm with the frame) Signed lower right “G. Salom...
Gouache
Alfred Copestick, Fort Hamilton from the Narrows, New York, 1857
Located in Queens, NY
Alfred Copestick (1837–1859) Fort Hamilton from the Narrows, New York, 1857 Oil on canvas, in the original giltwood frame 14 ¼ x 20 ⅛ in. (canvas) Signed lower left: A. Copestick NY 1857 Painted when Copestick was only twenty years old, Fort Hamilton from the Narrows, New York captures both the military fortifications and maritime vitality of New York Harbor at mid-century. In the foreground, the fortress bastion commands the shoreline, while sail and steam vessels traverse the Narrows — the strategic waterway linking Upper New York Bay to the Atlantic. Copestick conveys not only the architectural solidity of Fort Hamilton but also the shifting atmosphere above, where cloud formations build and dissolve across a wind-driven sky. The painting is a remarkable marriage of documentary precision and romantic sensibility. The young artist’s brush imbues the fortress with weight and presence, yet the broader scene is alive with the transience of weather and the ceaseless motion of the sea. In its original giltwood frame, richly carved and preserving the period character, the canvas is a rare survival of a gifted hand cut short in its prime. This canvas reveals Copestick’s deep engagement with the maritime traditions of American art. The careful delineation of sailing vessels recalls the precision of James E. Buttersworth, while the atmospheric breadth echoes the influence of Fitz Henry Lane and John F. Kensett. The choice of subject — the strategic Narrows and its fortress — also reflects the national mood of the 1850s, when American identity was bound up with its coasts, harbors, and defenses. The romantic skies and dramatic contrasts suggest the impact of the Hudson River School, particularly the legacy of Thomas Cole and Asher B...
Canvas, Oil
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
$30,400Sale Price|20% Off
The Empress Theodora at the Coliseum
Located in New York, NY
Benjamin Constant was an important figure in the Academic painting world in Paris and one of the leading French Romantic artists of the time. He is in all the museums of France and ...
Canvas, Oil
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
$348,500Sale Price|46% Off
Life-Size Italian 19th Century Marble Sculpture Children on Crib, 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. Signed and dated: A.nio Tantanrdini F.ce / 1863. The older child's medallion inscribed with an interlocked XV and Garibaldi, the crib monogrammed: AR. 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
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
“Hayingen, Germany”
Located in Southampton, NY
Very fine graphite on archival paper drawing of a typical mountain side house in the town of Hayingen, Germany by the prominent artist, Johannes Kleinschmidt. Signed in ink lower le...
Archival Paper, Graphite
$59,200Sale Price|60% Off
Lilly Martin Spencer (American, 1822-1902) God Bless My Father Portrait Painting
Located in Queens, NY
Lilly Martin Spencer (American, 1822-1902) A Rare Portrait God Bless My Father. **Figure 84 from principal book/catalogue on Lilly Martin Spencer. 19th Century. Oil on canvas, signed Lilly Martin Spencer was one of the most popular and American female genre painters in the mid-nineteenth century. She primarily painted domestic scenes, paintings of women and children...
Oil
Portrait of a Lady
By Alexandre-François Caminade
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Alexandre François CAMINADE (1789-1862) Portrait of a Lady Oil on wood signed low right Old frame gilded with leaves Wood size : 22 X 15 cm Frame size : 40 X 30 cm Alexandre-Françoi...
Oil
$22,409
Large British turn of the 20th Century oil painting of boys at the rockpool
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
A stunning, large scale, oil painting by British artist Harry Watson of bathers at a rockpool. HARRY WATSON RWS ROI (BRITISH, 1871-1936) BATHERS AT A ROCKPOOL oil on canvas signed ...
Canvas, Oil
19th Century French oil painting of a nymph playing pipes, a female nude
Located in Petworth, West Sussex
Charles Cres (French, 1850-1907) A Wood Nymph playing the pipes signed and dated `Ch. Crès/ 1884’ (lower right) oil on canvas 25.7/8 x 15.1/2 in. (65.8 x 39.4 cm.) Charles Cres was born in Briare in the province of Loiret. As early as 1875 he exhibited at the annual Paris Salon and was subsequently awarded...
Canvas, Oil
Marble Sculpture of Roman Mythological subject Apollo
Located in Rome, IT
Finely carved mythological subject in white Carrara marble of Apollo head .
Limestone
$6,800Sale Price|20% Off
“Bavarian Flower Girls”
Located in Southampton, NY
Here for your consideration is a vibrant portrait of a pair of Bavarian flower girls in traditional dress. The painting is unlined and has recently been cleaned. Circa 1875. The pain...
Canvas, Oil
$16,500
Venus and the Sea Monster Large Mythological Oil on Canvas Female Nude
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Venus and the Sea Monster Large Mythological Oil on Canvas — Sculpture Rendered in Painting By American Artist Philip Melville Courtney This large-scale oil on canvas painting presen...
Oil
Marine with Characters
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Maurice BAUDIN (19th Century) Marine "L'Escaut near Anvers" (Belgium) Oil on canvas signed and dated 1893 low left Old frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 38 X 70 cm - Dim frame : ...
Oil
Stipple Drawing in Black and White of the First Lady of Haiti - African American
Located in Miami, FL
1942 Calendar illustration featuring the First Lady of Haiti (Madame Elie Lescot]) rendered in a precise stipple effect and celebrating African-American women which was titled "Twelve American Women." It was executed during the hight of World War II. Lois Mailou Jones...
Ink, Pencil
$1,200Sale Price|50% Off
“Dead Gull”
By John Duncan
Located in Southampton, NY
In original gold leaf pierced frame Signed and dated lower right 1902 Sight size 7.5 x 9.5 in
Paper, Watercolor
French Contemporary Art by Franck Bailleul - Spleen Heureux
Located in Paris, IDF
Franck Bailleul is a French painter born in 1964 who lives & works in Abbeville, Normandy, France. He has exhibited nationally as well as in the United States and China. His wor...
Oil, Panel
VENETIAN HARBOR SCENE
By Friedrich Christian Dietrich
Located in Naples, Florida
Signed and dated “F. C. Welsch / 1876” lower left Karl Friedrich Christian Welsch (1828–1904) was a German painter known for architectural and harbor scenes depict...
Oil, Canvas
Still Life Fruits and Crystal
By Alexandre François Bonnardel
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
BONNARDEL François (1867-1942) Still Life Fruits Crystal Oils on card signed right below Old Frame Dim canvas : 36 X 45 cm Dim frame : 45 X 55 cm BONNARDEL François Alexandre ...
Oil
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
Luzi Girl Papago The North American Indian, Edward S. Curtis, Photogravure, 190
Located in Phoenix, AZ
LUZI GIRL PAPAGO, 1907 Portfolio 2, Plate 53 THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN BY EDWARD S. CURTIS Image size 15.5 x 10 1/4 inches, Excellent condition. This is an original photogravur...
Photogravure
Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Located in New Orleans, LA
William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1825-1905 French Jeune mère contemplant deux enfants qui s'embrassent (Young Mother Contemplating Two Embracing Children) Signed “W-Bouguereau” (bottom ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,355Sale Price|33% Off
French academic painting Allegory Spring Love Child Belle Epoque end 19th
By Emile Vernon
Located in PARIS, FR
Emile VERNON Blois, 1872 – Blois, 1920 Oil on canvas 44 x 61 cm (57 x 74 cm with frame) Signed lower right “Emile Vernon” Very beautiful 19th century frame in carved and gilded wood ...
Oil
Three Men Conversing, Academic Oil Painting on Canvas, 19th Century
By Louis C. Moeller
Located in New York, NY
Signed lower right. Louis Charles Moeller was a master of American genre painting. His meticulously detailed, highly finished paintings of late Victorian interiors received consider...
Oil, Canvas
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
Sophie Holten (1858-1930), the Parthenon Frieze, London 1901
Located in Greding, DE
Painting based on the Peplos scene (Block V, eastern Parthenon frieze, ca. 447-433 BC) by the Danish painter Sophie Holten (1858 Skuldelev - 1930 Rosk...
Oil, Canvas
Cardinals Playing Cards by Victor Marais-Milton
By Victor Marais-Milton
Located in New Orleans, LA
Victor Marais-Milton 1872-1948 French Cardinals Playing Cards Signed "V. Marais-Milton" (lower right) Oil on canvas Two red-robed cardinals engage in a friendly game of cards in ...
Canvas, Oil