Academic art, also called academicism, has its origin as its name indicates in art academies. And these two main meanings refer to these institutions:
- Academicism as an artistic trend — Academic art is an artistic trend as a consequence of the success and influence of the educational and aesthetic theories of the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris during the 19th century. This model was imitated in many art academies, imposing itself as an official model in much of Europe and America.
- Academicism as a qualifier—Academic art is also defined as one whose creation is a direct consequence of the doctrines of a contemporary academy to the artist.
Undoubtedly, it is still associated with works that are the product of the classic traditions characteristic of 19th century academies, but the concept has expanded over time and also includes other innovations that have been completely assimilated by official institutions and are part of the new repertoire of academies.
In other words, it is a changing characteristic: what in the past was groundbreaking and controversial, may eventually become an academic.
Academic art: Characteristics
Some characteristics of 19th century academicism are also distinctive features of more current works considered academic:
- Conservative — In teaching and perpetuating the repetitive use of a particular artistic model, academic works of art lack originality .
- Technical virtuosity —The works, being limited to patterns that largely restrict individuality, are valued mainly for their technical quality. As a consequence, an academic artist aspires to its improvement.
- Official Art —In addition to instructing their artistic model, the academies disseminate it with exhibitions and awards that support works that follow their model while ignoring the others.
In addition to these general characteristics, other more specific features of academicism as an artistic trend in the 19th century are:
- Classicism: Art has to incorporate classical artistic traditions based on reason and technique.
- Importance of line and color: Until the 19th century there was a discussion between the pictorial schools that favored the mastery of color or line . Academicism considers both elements of art important and aspires to the technical domain of both simultaneously.
- Allegorical : The representation of abstract concepts through figurative representations is considered the highest form of art.
- Idealization: The representation of eternal truths that the Platonic forms evoke is sought. In practice this means simplifying and generalizing forms away from the imperfections and singularities of naturalistic realism.
- Topic hierarchy: Ordered from highest to lowest importance:
- Allegorical and moralizing themes: historical, religious, mythological, literary.
- Genre painting
- Portrait
- Still life
- Landscape
- Historicism: An innovation typical of academicism consists in the representation of historical scenes with greater rigor, trying to avoid anachronisms.
