The Academic Tradition

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Guillaume Seignac "L'Inspiration"



The 19th century saw a great change in the art world. Until mid century, art schools throughout the world, taught the academic traditions - with an emphasis on drawing and the human figure. Artist's learned to paint by studying the early and modern masters, perfecting their technical abilities in the hopes of one-day entering one of the great ateliers.

In 1863, the minister of fine arts in Paris, Comte Emilien de Nieuwerkerke, implemented radical reforms that would not only create a great division at the Salon, but would also turn l'Ecole des Beaux Arts into the most important art school in the Western world. With these sweeping changes, artists from America, Germany, Spain, etc. flocked to Paris to study with her artists and attempted to earn admission into l'Ecole.  Soon Paris became what London had always been - the hub of artistic activity.

The Salon of 1863 became a battleground between the old and the new. A number of changes for entry into the Salon were made that year - most importantly the fact that artists winning 1st and 2nd class medals at previous Salons did not have to submit their works to the "Jury". The selection committee, or "Jury" as they were known, was comprised of 14 members - a small number of governmental appointees and the balance were exhibiting artists. The artists who sat on the jury were those who had won medals at the previous exhibitions and they became a powerful group - among them were Bouguereau, Henner, Cabanel, Gerome and Ernest Meissonier.

Over 5000 works were submitted for exhibition and the 'Jury' selected only 2217 from 988 artists (the previous exhibit featured works from 1289 artists). Among the artists that were not selected were a number of previous prize winners as well as Manet, Legros, Cals, Vollon and some of the Barbizon painters. There were many complaints and over the next few days' word reached Napoleon III. On April 20th, 1863 he decided to see for himself and traveled to the Palais de l'Industrie (the building on the Champs-Élysées where the Salon was held) to see the rejected works. He agreed that the jury had been too harsh and in a bold move decreed that he would allow the public to judge for themselves. In a separate area in the Palais de l'Industrie another exhibition was set up - the now famous Salon des Refusés.

The Salon des Refusés was a voluntary exhibition open to those artists whose works were rejected by the jury of the Salon. A catalog was printed and it opened on May 15. The problem with the exhibit was that there were many good, as well as bad paintings on display. Among the more important painters who chose to show their works were Berne-Bellecoure, Cazin, Harpignies, Cals, Pissarro, Fantin-Latour and Whistler. Attendance was enormous, though most of the attendees came to gawk and sneer at many of the works on display - it was said that some 7000 people attended the show in its first few hours. This exhibit was an important step in creating changes not only at the Salon (which were temporary), but in the generally accepted course of study - allowing many new artists to expand on traditional thinking.

Through all these changes, one thing still remained constant in the minds of the Salon painters - the need for strict academic training. The following exhibition features 25 works by 20 artists who were all great supporters of these academic traditions. Included are works by William A. Bouguereau (considered one of the most influential academic artists of the period), Joseph Caraud, Charles E. Delort, Alfred Guillou, Gustave DeJonghe, Daniel Ridgway Knight, Emile Munier, Leon Perrault, Louis M. de Schryver, Edouard Toudouze and Fritz Zuber-Buhler. Each of these artists, exhibited at the Paris Salon throughout his career and some were among the most outspoken of their time. They all studied in the academic tradition and believed that the key element to becoming a successful artist was one's ability to create a natural and realistic figure - something they all excelled in.

 
This essay is copyrighted by Rehs Galleries, Inc. and may not be reproduced or transmitted without written permission from Rehs Galleries, Inc.
 



Figuren schaatsen op een bevroren rivier
(Figures Skating on a Frozen River) - Charles H. J. Leickert
Charles H. J. Leickert
(1816 - 1907)
Figuren schaatsen op een bevroren rivier (Figures Skating on a Frozen River)
24 x 39 1/2 inches
Signed and dated '70

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Jeune fille - Francois Alfred Delobbe
Francois Alfred Delobbe
(1835 - 1920)
Jeune fille
22 x 15 inches
Signed and dated 1879

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Julia Among the June Roses - Daniel Ridgway Knight
Daniel Ridgway Knight
(1839 - 1924)
Julia Among the June Roses
45.5 x 34.75 inches
Signed and inscribed Paris

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L\'Epte à Gisors - Emilio Sánchez Perrier
Emilio Sánchez Perrier
(1855 - 1907)
L'Epte à Gisors
13 x 18.125 inches
Signed

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La bergère - Julien Dupré
Julien Dupré
(1851 - 1910)
La bergère
25.75 x 21.25 inches
Signed

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Looking East on the Rio di San Barnaba - Federico del Campo
Federico del Campo
(1837 - 1923)
Looking East on the Rio di San Barnaba
22 x 14.5 inches
Signed, inscribed Venezia, and dated 1888

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The Lombard on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal in Amsterdam - Cornelius Springer
Cornelius Springer
(1817 - 1891)
The Lombard on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal in Amsterdam
26 x 33.5 inches
Signed and dated 1884

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Un puits mitoyen - Marie-Francois Firmin-Girard
Marie-Francois Firmin-Girard
(1838 - 1921)
Un puits mitoyen
30.25 x 40.75 inches
Signed

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Un trio - Adolphe Alexandre Lesrel
Adolphe Alexandre Lesrel
(1839 - 1929)
Un trio
22.875 x 18.625 inches
Signed and dated 1894

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Une Mascarade au XVII Siecle - Adrien Moreau
Adrien Moreau
(1843 - 1906)
Une Mascarade au XVII Siecle
38 ½ x 52 ½ inches
Signed

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Wild Roses - Frederick Morgan
Frederick Morgan
(1847 - 1927)
Wild Roses
51 1/2 x 33 inches
Signed

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Glaneuses - Julien Dupré
Julien Dupré
(1851 - 1910)
Glaneuses
36 1/2 x 51 inches
Signed and dated 1880

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A l\'Approche du Grain - Georges François P. Laugée
Georges François P. Laugée
(1853 - 1937)
A l'Approche du Grain
23 1/2 x 32 inches
Signed

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Essai de l\'Eau - Emile Munier
Emile Munier
(1840 - 1895)
Essai de l'Eau
29 1/2 x 16 3/4 inches
Signed and dated 1890

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A Young Man\'s Fancy - Louis Marie de Schryver
Louis Marie de Schryver
(1862 - 1942)
A Young Man's Fancy
22 3/4 x 16 3/4 inches
Signed and dated 1898

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The Flower Seller - Louis Marie de Schryver
Louis Marie de Schryver
(1862 - 1942)
The Flower Seller
8 3/4 x 6 1/2 inches
Signed and dated 1898

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Tête d\'Etude l\'Oiseau - William A. Bouguereau
William A. Bouguereau
(1825 - 1905)
Tête d'Etude l'Oiseau
32 x 26 inches
Signed & dated 1867

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Education - Victor Marais-Milton
Victor Marais-Milton
(1872 - 1944)
Education
18 x 15 inches
Signed

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Un Coin de la Roseraie à Bagatelle - Henri Adolphe Laissement
Henri Adolphe Laissement
(1854 - 1921)
Un Coin de la Roseraie à Bagatelle
10 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches
Signed

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L\'Inspiration - Guillaume Seignac
Guillaume Seignac
(1870 - 1924)
L'Inspiration
39 1/2 x 32 inches
Signed

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The Finishing Touches - Georges Croegaert
Georges Croegaert
(1848 - 1923)
The Finishing Touches
13 x 9 3/8 inches
Signed

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The Preening Peacock - Jehan-Georges Vibert
Jehan-Georges Vibert
(1840 - 1902)
The Preening Peacock
18 1/4 x 14 3/4 inches
Signed

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Midday Stroll - Joseph Caraud
Joseph Caraud
(1821 - 1905)
Midday Stroll
38 x 26 inches
Signed & dated 1874

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Pendant l\'Orage - William A. Bouguereau
William A. Bouguereau
(1825 - 1905)
Pendant l'Orage
40 x 27 inches
Signed & dated 1872

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Le Poet - Leon Girardet
Leon Girardet
(1857 - 1895)
Le Poet
24 x 32 inches
Signed

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Morning Bouquet - Alfred Guillou
Alfred Guillou
(1844 - 1926)
Morning Bouquet
21 3/4 x 18 1/4 inches
Signed

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A Special Moment - Emile Munier
Emile Munier
(1840 - 1895)
A Special Moment
26 x 21 inches
Signed and dated 1874

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The Costume Ball (Pavane) - Edouard Toudouze
Edouard Toudouze
(1848 - 1907)
The Costume Ball (Pavane)
69 x 84 inches
Signed

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The Welcome Visitor - Charles Edouard Delort
Charles Edouard Delort
(1841 - 1895)
The Welcome Visitor
24 x 40 inches
Signed & dated '75

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Bacci Ball - Ludovico Marchetti
Ludovico Marchetti
(1853 - 1909)
Bacci Ball
10 1/8 x 16 inches
Signed and dated 1880

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The Sewing Circle - Daniel Ridgway Knight
Daniel Ridgway Knight
(1839 - 1924)
The Sewing Circle
35 x 46 inches
Signed

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A Beautiful Reflection - Leon Jean Bazile Perrault
Leon Jean Bazile Perrault
(1832 - 1908)
A Beautiful Reflection
43 x 50 inches
Signed & dated 1886

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Sleeping Putto - Leon Jean Bazile Perrault
Leon Jean Bazile Perrault
(1832 - 1908)
Sleeping Putto
18 x 21 inches
Signed & dated 1882

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May I Have One Too - Emile Munier
Emile Munier
(1840 - 1895)
May I Have One Too
35 x 23 inches
Signed and dated 1880

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Woman Buying Flowers at a Market - Louis Marie de Schryver
Louis Marie de Schryver
(1862 - 1942)
Woman Buying Flowers at a Market
10 x 14 inches
Signed & dated 1899

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Innocence - Fritz Zuber-Buhler
Fritz Zuber-Buhler
(1822 - 1896)
Innocence
26 x 32 inches
Signed

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Afternoon Repose - Gustave Léonhard de Jonghe
Gustave Léonhard de Jonghe
(1829 - 1893)
Afternoon Repose
36 x 28 inches
Signed

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