academic art

English

Noun

academic art (uncountable)

1. (art) A style of art influenced by European art academies, especially one which lacks innovation or individualism; academism.
   • 1873, Mrs. Charles Heaton, A concise history of painting, Bell and Daldy, pages 511–512:

     After a three years’ study in Italy, where he [Benjamin West] became imbued with the traditions of Academic art, but remained curiously insensible to the real excellences, especially that of colour, of the old masters, […]

   • 1917 February, Frederick Wellington Ruckstull, “A Standard of Art Measurement, Part I”, in The Art World: Volume 1 Number 5, page 327:

     So let me finally quote again from Véron who made a bitter fight against the fossilism of the old Academic Art of his day, one who may be said to be the real father of modern Individualism in æsthetics, and the best friend that mere “technicians” ever had.