École des Beaux-Arts (French for 'School of Fine Arts';pronounced[ekɔldeboz‿aʁ]) refers to a number of influentialart schools in France. The term is associated with theBeaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century and the first quarter of the twentieth century.[1]
The origins of the Paris school go back to 1648, when theAcadémie des Beaux-Arts was founded byCardinal Mazarin to educate the most talented students in drawing, painting, sculpture, engraving, architecture and other media.[citation needed]Louis XIV was known to select graduates from the school to decorate the royal apartments atVersailles, and in 1863,Napoleon III granted the school independence from the government, changing the name to "L'École des Beaux-Arts". Women were admitted beginning in 1897.[citation needed]
The curriculum was divided into the "Academy of Painting and Sculpture" and the "Academy of Architecture". Both programs focused on classical arts and architecture from Ancient Greek and Roman culture. All students were required to prove their skills with basic drawing tasks before advancing to figure drawing and painting. This culminated in a competition for theGrand Prix de Rome, awarding a full scholarship to study in Rome. The three trials to obtain the prize lasted for nearly three months. Many of the most famous artists in Europe were trained here, includingGéricault,Degas,Delacroix,Fragonard,Ingres,Moreau,Renoir,Seurat,Cassandre, andSisley.Rodin however, applied on three occasions but was refused entry.[3]Paul Cézanne applied twice but was turned down.[4]Bernard was suspended for stylistic "errors".[5]
Courtyard of the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris
The buildings of the school are largely the creation of French architectFélix Duban, who was commissioned for the main building in 1830. His work realigned the campus, and continued through 1861, completing an architectural program out towards the Quai Malaquais.[citation needed]
The Paris school is the namesake and founding location of theBeaux Arts architectural movement in the early twentieth century. Known for demanding classwork and setting thehighest standards for education, the École attracted students from around the world—including the United States, where students returned to design buildings that would influence the history of architecture in America, including theBoston Public Library, 1888–1895 (McKim, Mead & White), the Supreme Court of the United States, (Cass Gilbert, Cass Gilbert Jr., and John R. Rockart), and theNew York Public Library, 1897–1911 (Carrère and Hastings). Architectural graduates, especially in France, are granted the titleélève.
The architecture department was separated from the École after the May 1968 student strikes at theSorbonne. The name was changed toÉcole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Today, over 500 students make use of an extensive collection of classical art coupled with modern additions to the curriculum, including photography and hypermedia.[6]
