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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
November, Oil Painting

November, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Zanzinger

Located in Denver, CO

Elizabeth Zanzinger's (US based) "November" is an oil painting that depicts trees in autumn with a rock foreground. Elizabeth Zanzinger is an award-winning painter with an enthusiastic international following. She developed her artistic voice through her studies at the Aristides Atelier and Gage Academy of Fine Art in Seattle. Elizabeth finished her education with a fellowship award (Grand Prize, 2nd Annual Utrecht Art Competition) at the Grand Central Academy, New York City, in 2012. Since then she has completed a number of commissioned portraits of accomplished individuals, including former Chief Justice...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

“Pietra Dura Old Mill with Figure”
“Pietra Dura Old Mill with Figure”

“Pietra Dura Old Mill with Figure”

Located in Southampton, NY

Original pietra dura mosaic plaque of an old mill with figure. Composed of marble and other exotic stone. Condition is excellent. Circa 1950. Unsigned. G. Ugolini paper label verso....

Category

1950s Academic Art

Materials

Stone

Venetian Scene by Martin Rico y Ortega
Venetian Scene by Martin Rico y Ortega

Venetian Scene by Martin Rico y Ortega

By Martin Rico y Ortega

Located in New Orleans, LA

Martin Rico y Ortega 1833-1908 Spanish Venetian Scene Signed "Rico" (lower left) Oil on canvas Spanish artist Martin Rico y Ortega captures a charming view of a canal in Venice ...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“William Shakespeare”
“William Shakespeare”

“William Shakespeare”

Located in Southampton, NY

Original high profile wax cameo of William Shakespeare. Unsigned. Composed of natural and colored wax. Condition is very good. Most likely of British origin. Original shadow box fra...

Category

1840s Academic Art

Materials

Wax

A Fine and Charming 19th Century Oil Canvas "Children Walking the Baby Goat"
A Fine and Charming 19th Century Oil Canvas "Children Walking the Baby Goat"

A Fine and Charming 19th Century Oil Canvas "Children Walking the Baby Goat"

Located in LA, CA

Henry Joseph Campotosto (Belgium, 1833-1910) A Very Fine Oil on Canvas "Walking the Baby Goat", depicting two young dutch girls by the grassy shore of a river bank, one standing holding a wicker basket and a leash to a resting baby goat, the youngest sitting next to her on a pile of branches tucking her pants, a pair of ducks and ducklings swimming by the tree lined river; within a later giltwood carved frame. Signed (l/r): Campotosto Henry. Circa: Brussels, 1870. Note: The artist is also known as Henri Campotosto Henry or Henri Campotosto was born in Brussels in 1833. He studied in Brussels at the Royal Academy des Beaux-Arts and painted some artworks with Eugène Verboeckhoven (Belgium, 1798-1881). He received a 1st Class Medal at the Academy of Brussels and an honorable mention at the Paris Exhibition of 1860. In 1871 he moved to London with his family and remained there for life. He exhibited his work at the Royal Academy Exhibition until 1874 and at the Suffolk Street Gallery from 1878. In 1880 he took part in the Berlin Academy Exhibition. His daughter Octavia also became a painter, visited Italy, and showed her paintings at the Royal Academy from 1871 to 1874. Henri Campotosto died in London in 1910. High Sales: Christie's New York - Property from an American Collection, "The Bird's Nest" - Lot 247 on October 22, 2008, Sold for $37,500 Bonhams London - 19th Century European, Victorian and British Impressionist Art on 28 September 2016 - Lot 33 "Gathering flowers" Sold for £25,000 ($33,750 USD) Museums: The British Museum - Print of two girls and a lamb and print of two girls by a river bank Literature • E. Benezit Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs, et Graveurs by Librairie Gründ - 1976 Edition - Volume 2, Page 488. • Maurice W...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Oil

18th century diptych portraits man and woman American formal dress flower
18th century diptych portraits man and woman American formal dress flower

18th century diptych portraits man and woman American formal dress flower

By William Jennys

Located in Milwaukee, WI

The present pair of portraits would make an exceptional addition to any collection of early American art not only because they were painted by the notable William Jennys, but also because the sitters are members of notable and influential New England families. In addition, these pendants have impeccable provenance: they have never left ownership of the decedents of the Kimball family and this is the first time they have been available for purchase. David Kimball (1766-1848) and Nancy Stacy Kimball (1774-1844) were members of historic Massachusetts families. David Kimball is a sixth-generation decedent of Richard Kimball (d. 1675) and Ursula Scott (d. 1659), who emigrated from Rattlasden, Suffolk County, England to Watertown MA around 1634. The family then relocated in 1637 to Ipswich, the city with which the family is now most strongly identified, when Richard was appointed to be a wheelwright.[1] Nancy likewise had early New England ancestry, descended from Simon Stacy and Elizabeth Clark, who were married in London in 1620.[2] Nancy Stacy was the second wife of David Kimball, and the two were married in 1799. Given this, the present pendant portraits were likely completed shortly after the marriage. David had two children by his first wife Mary Morse, who died in September of 1798. David and Nancy would have nine additional children between 1801 and 1815.[3] Most notably, the couple were parents of the Boston politician and showman Moses Kimball (1809-1895).[2][3] Moses would found the Boston Museum, an early for-profit museum and theater opened in 1841 that resembled European curiosity cabinets: the museum displayed paintings of Thomas Scully and Charles Peale alongside Chinese artwork, stuffed animals, dwarves and mermaids. Alongside these exhibits, visitors could attend the theater which held performances by gymnasts and contortionists, followed by performances of Shakespeare and Dickens.[4] This museum set the model for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which when founded in 1870 held a similarly diverse collection and appealed to the interests of a diverse set of visitors.[5] Moreover, some Greek antiquities from Moses Kimball's museum were eventually given to the MFA and Moses donated approximately $5,000 to the MFA's endowment upon his death.[6][7] William Jennys (1774–1859), also known as J. William Jennys, is an important American primitive portrait...

Category

1790s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Leaves II, Oil Painting

Leaves II, Oil Painting

By Elizabeth Zanzinger

Located in Denver, CO

Elizabeth Zanzinger's (US based) "Leaves II" is an oil painting that depicts yellow Fall leaves with a cream colored background Elizabeth Zanzinger is an award-winning painter with an enthusiastic international following. She developed her artistic voice through her studies at the Aristides Atelier and Gage Academy of Fine Art in Seattle. Elizabeth finished her education with a fellowship award (Grand Prize, 2nd Annual Utrecht Art...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Pair 19th Century French Whimsical Oil on Canvas  "Cherubs and Putti Children"
Pair 19th Century French Whimsical Oil on Canvas  "Cherubs and Putti Children"

Pair 19th Century French Whimsical Oil on Canvas "Cherubs and Putti Children"

By Charles Joshua Chaplin

Located in LA, CA

Charles Joshua Chaplin (French, 1825-1891) A Very Fine and Charming Pair of 19th Century French Whimsical Oils on Canvas of Cherubs and Putti, after François Boucher (French, 1703–17...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Antique British Oil Painting of the Alhambra by Thompson
Antique British Oil Painting of the Alhambra by Thompson

Antique British Oil Painting of the Alhambra by Thompson

Located in London, GB

Antique British oil painting of the Alhambra by Thompson British, 1876 Canvas: Height 45cm, width 35.5cm Frame: Height 69cm, width 61cm, depth 6cm This serene Orientalist oil painti...

Category

1870s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Little Girl, Figurative, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Little Girl, Figurative, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind

Little Girl, Figurative, 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: 2016 Style: Impressionism Title: Little Girl Size: 22" x 28" x 0.8'' ...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Life-size Plaster Statue of The Callipygian Venus or Aphrodite  1920'
Life-size Plaster Statue of The Callipygian Venus or Aphrodite  1920'

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 ...

Category

1920s Academic Art

Materials

Plaster

Landscape of the Valley in French Normandy
Landscape of the Valley in French Normandy

Landscape of the Valley in French Normandy

By Eugène Jules Delahogue

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

DELAHOGUE Eugène Jules (1867-c1930) " Landscape of the Valley" Oil on canvas signed low right Frame gilded with leaves Dim canvas : 91 X 150 cm Dim frame : 110 X 172 cm DELAHOGUE Eu...

Category

1910s Academic Art

Materials

Oil

Goddess of Dawn Mythology scene Artwork Aurora in white toga smelling a flower.
Goddess of Dawn Mythology scene Artwork Aurora in white toga smelling a flower.

Goddess of Dawn Mythology scene Artwork Aurora in white toga smelling a flower.

By Jean Louis Hamon

Located in Miami, FL

Jean Louis Hamon artfully presents the mythological subject: Aurora the Goddess of Dawn. She is dressed in a flowing toga, standing on a large leaf and smelling the sweetness of a flower in bloom. Surrounded by lush plants in an idyllic setting of pinks and blues, one would not think that this peaceful and beautiful work was painted in 1864 at the time of the American Civil War. Hamon meticulously renders the scene with the academic precision of Bouguereau. The closer you get, the more detail you discover. Two butterflies sit atop Aurora's head. Droplets of water gracefully roll down her hair. There was a hand colored steel plate...

Category

1860s Academic Art

Materials

Oil

French Contemporary Art by Pascal Plazanet - Provencale No. 11
French Contemporary Art by Pascal Plazanet - Provencale No. 11

French Contemporary Art by Pascal Plazanet - Provencale No. 11

By Pascal Plazanet

Located in Paris, IDF

Rapidography & acrylic on paper + white frame Pascal Plazanet is a French artist born in 1963 who lives and works in Paris, France. For more 30 years, he constantly uses rapidograph pens in his artworks on paper or onto canvas. The rapidograph is a special pen with a capillary tubular tip in which flows a black pigment, an ancient drawing tool...

Category

1990s Academic Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

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

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

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Ara H. Hakobyan Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade Artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2013 Style: Impressionism Subject: Evening View a Port, Size: 16" x ...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington

Duke of Wellington

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Duke of Wellington by Vladislav Khristenko Size of the image - 25 x 15 cm Size of the list - 34 x 22.5 cm Size in frame - 42 x 32 cm Etching and aquatint on paper #15 from edition ...

Category

2010s Academic Art

Materials

Paper, Etching, Aquatint

The Lilac
The Lilac

The Lilac

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

PAUL PEROT known as POL NOËL (1851 -1911 ) The Lilac Oil on canvas signed low right Old frame giglded with gold leaves size canvas : 75 X 93 cm - size frame : 97 X 115 cm PAUL PER...

Category

1880s Academic Art

Materials

Oil

"Montauk Point Lighthouse" Antique 19th Century Academic Oil Painting on Canvas
"Montauk Point Lighthouse" Antique 19th Century Academic Oil Painting on Canvas

"Montauk Point Lighthouse" Antique 19th Century Academic Oil Painting on Canvas

By Francis Augustus Silva

Located in Jacksonville, FL

Signed lower left corner Painting Size: 9.13″ x 18.20″ Frame Size: 14.13″ x 20.13″ Francis Augustus Silva (1835-1886) was a prominent American artist renowned for his remarkable ability to paint boats and seascapes...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

19th century color lithograph portrait indigenous male subject feathers signed
19th century color lithograph portrait indigenous male subject feathers signed

19th century color lithograph portrait indigenous male subject feathers signed

By McKenney & Hall

Located in Milwaukee, WI

"Wa-Em-Boesh-Kaa, A Chippeway Chief," is an original hand-colored lithograph by McKenney & Hall. It features a portrait of a notable Native American chief, with informational text below. 13 1/2" x 18 3/4" paper 25 5/8" x 20 1/2" frame American lithograph publishers. Most well-known for "History of the Indian Tribes of North America," a collection of 125 images that included biographical sketches and anecdotes of principal chiefs. Thomas Loraine McKenney (1785-1859) served as Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1824 to 1830. In that capacity he commissioned and collected portraits of Native Americans...

Category

1830s Academic Art

Materials

Lithograph

Fabulous Italian Neoclassical Marble Sculpture of Hermes
Fabulous Italian Neoclassical Marble Sculpture of Hermes

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...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Bronze

The Charge 19th-century Realism Antique Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed
The Charge 19th-century Realism Antique Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed

The Charge 19th-century Realism Antique Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed

By Eugene Alexis Girardet

Located in Jacksonville, FL

The painting is signed and dated 1894 Description: Eugene Alexis Girardet (1853-1907) was a prominent Swiss painter known for his remarkable attention to detail and his ability to capture vivid and dynamic scenes. Born in Paris, France, Girardet came from a family of artists and received early artistic training from his father, Paul Girardet, and his uncle, Jules Girardet, both respected engravers. He later studied at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he honed his skills and developed a deep appreciation for historical and orientalist subjects. He was interred at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery. In addition to several museums in France, his works may be seen at the Dahesh Museum of Art and the National Museum of Fine Arts of Algiers, as well as at museums in Switzerland and New York City. Girardet’s artwork often depicted historical and exotic scenes, particularly focusing on Middle Eastern and North African themes. His meticulous attention to detail and his ability to convey a sense of movement and drama made his works highly sought after. One of his most renowned paintings, “The Charge,” exemplifies his exceptional talent and his ability to create a captivating and immersive experience for viewers. In “The Charge,” Girardet presents an army of Arab camel...

Category

19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

American Bronze Sculpture of Male Nude Athlete during Shot Put.
American Bronze Sculpture of Male Nude Athlete during Shot Put.

American Bronze Sculpture of Male Nude Athlete during Shot Put.

By Clemente Spampinato

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...

Category

1950s Academic Art

Materials

Bronze

Peonies in a Blue Vase
Peonies in a Blue Vase

Peonies in a Blue Vase

Located in Mc Lean, VA

One of three still-life paintings by the French flower painter Germain-Theodore Ribot.

Category

Late 19th Century Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Watering the Cattle”
“Watering the Cattle”

“Watering the Cattle”

By Edmund Darch Lewis

Located in Southampton, NY

Oil on canvas painting by the American artist, Edmund Darch Lewis. Signed lower right and dated, 1891. Several small punctures which will be professionaly restored. Old reline of ca...

Category

1890s Academic Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Young Lady and Cupid in The Park
Young Lady and Cupid in The Park

Young Lady and Cupid in The Park

By Hans Zatzka

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Hans Zatzka (8 March 1859 – 17 December 1945 Young Lady With Cupid in The Park Oil on canvas circa 1880 signed low with pseudonym C.BRIAND Old Frame gilded with leaves Size canvas : ...

Category

1880s Academic Art

Materials

Oil

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.