Academicism
Riley explores the world of academic art and the impacts it has made.
Academic art
By Riley Barta
Academic art, or academicism, was widely popularized by European influences in the 19th century. In stark contrast to the previously popular styles of impressionism and rococo, academicism was exact and ossified in its ways. The French Académie des Beaux-Arts standardized academicism. The academy sought to teach a style that was a mix between Romanticism and neoclassicism. However, due to the strictness of academicism, many artists were put down and their paintings were refused by galleries due to “improper techniques”. This was the environment in which Alexandre Cabanel and Salon des Refuses were created.
Alexandre Cabanel was born in 1823 at Montpellier. The French artist studied in Paris and quickly grew to be one of the most famous portrait painters of his day. After he exhibited his works at the Paris Salon, he was rewarded with the Prix de Rome (1845). However, his portraits and standard academic art pieces are not what he is commonly remembered for. Birth of Venus was created in 1863, and quickly gained interest. According to The Met Museum, “The first version of Cabanel's Birth of Venus (Musée d'Orsay, Paris) created a sensation…” Eventually, Birth of Venus was bought by Napoleon III for his collection. Another work of Cabanel's that has gained attention recently is Fallen Angel. It depicts Lucifer, the fallen angel, in the foreground. He looks to the right of the canvas with either an expression of pain or anger. The background is a light blue, with angels littering the skyline. The lack of definition in the background gives a feeling of loneliness that is often found in Cabanel’s works. Cabanel was often left alone with just his art for days. Although his art never took a dark turn like Francisco Goya (see the Black Paintings), he manipulated the boundaries of academicism to portray a deeper story than what may be seen at first glance.
Salon des Refuses (sa-lohn de reh-fus-ays) was an exhibition in 1862 in Paris. It showed art that had been refused by the Paris Salon. The Paris Salon notoriously refused art that was in any way unconventional. Less than 50% of artists' works were accepted, which caused artists to riot. Thus, Napoleon III created Salon des Refuses. Other than displaying work that otherwise would have been forgotten, Salon des Refuses also gave a larger audience the right to judge the artwork. The Paris Salon operated in a strict evaluation of what is “meaningful” art. A painting would go through several juries and critics and still could be thrown out because it looked too Rococo. According to the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, “Subjects were ranked according to an official Hierarchy of Genres, and lower ranked genres were regarded less favorably.” What makes Salon des Refuses important to many art historians is the direct undermining of academic art. The Paris Salon put academic art on an infallible pedestal, but Salon des Refuses showed that academic art was not the only genre worth a glance. It also had strong impacts on avant-garde styles and on impressionism.
Recently, academic art has been making waves in the fashion and trend industry. In COVID times, an aesthetic called “dark academia" made waves across social media platforms such as TikTok. According to The New York Times, “Created largely by users 14 to 25 years old, posts tagged with the Dark Academia moniker have racked up over 18 million views.” Dark academia consists of darker tones, comfortable formal clothing, and an almost depressing need for knowledge. Corduroy and collared shirts are a staple to the aesthetic, along with old libraries, gothic architecture, and gloomy weather. Critics of dark academia focus on the elitist undertones of the subculture. Historically, education has been a luxury and secondary education is becoming harder to afford. This is where academicism and dark academia meet their match. The precise techniques and beauty of the aesthetics are undeniable. However, they are coded in an elitist nature that many cannot afford to partake in. On the other hand, academicism focuses more on the artist who made it. A painting is a painting, but academic art highlights the talent and qualities of the painter. This credit towards the artist is often lost in other genres of art. Dark academia is the modern version of academicism.
Academicism has its fair share of negative qualities, but its impact on art culture is undeniable. Alexandre Cabanel greatly influenced academicism. He is possibly one of the most influential academic artists. Salon des Refuses has played an important role in both academic art and European art as a whole. Academicism can still be found today in subcultures like dark academia. Ultimately, academicism has made a name for itself in art history.
