École des Beaux-Arts facts for kids
The École des Beaux-Arts (which means "School of Fine Arts" in French) refers to several important art schools in France. The most famous one is in Paris. These schools are known for teaching a special art and architecture style called the Beaux-Arts style. This style was popular in France and other countries in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The oldest and most famous École des Beaux-Arts is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It's located on the left bank of the Seine River, across from the famous Louvre Museum. This school has a history of over 350 years! It has trained many great artists from Europe. The Beaux-Arts style was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art. It focused on keeping these classic, perfect forms alive and teaching them to new artists.
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History of the Paris School
The Paris school started in 1648. It was founded by Cardinal Mazarin to teach talented students drawing, painting, sculpture, and architecture. King Louis XIV even chose graduates from the school to decorate his royal palace at Versailles.
In 1863, Emperor Napoleon III made the school independent from the government. He also changed its name to "L'École des Beaux-Arts." Later, in 1897, women were finally allowed to join the school.
What Students Learned
The school's teaching was split into two main parts: "Painting and Sculpture" and "Architecture." Both focused on classical art and building styles from ancient Greek and Roman times.
All students had to show their basic drawing skills first. After that, they could move on to drawing and painting people. The best students could compete for the Grand Prix de Rome. This was a huge award! It gave the winner a full scholarship to study art in Rome for several months.
Many famous artists studied here, including Géricault, Degas, Delacroix, Fragonard, Ingres, Moreau, Renoir, Seurat, and Sisley. However, some famous artists like Rodin and Paul Cézanne were actually turned down when they tried to get in!
The main buildings of the school were mostly designed by a French architect named Félix Duban. He started working on them in 1830 and continued until 1861. His designs helped shape the campus into what it looks like today.
The Beaux-Arts Style Spreads
The Paris school is where the famous Beaux-Arts architectural movement began in the early 1900s. The school was known for its tough classes and very high standards for teaching art and architecture. Because of this, students came from all over the world, including the United States.
These American students returned home and designed important buildings that changed architecture in America. Some examples include the Boston Public Library and the New York Public Library. In France, architecture graduates were given a special title called élève.
After student protests in May 1968, the architecture department separated from the main school. The school's name was then changed to École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. Today, over 500 students attend the school. They study a huge collection of classical art, but also learn modern subjects like photography and hypermedia.
Other Schools in France
There are other important "École des Beaux-Arts" schools across France, such as:
- ENSA École nationale des beaux arts de Dijon
- ENSA École nationale des beaux arts de Bourges
- ENSBA École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon
- European Academy of Art (EESAB) in Lorient, Rennes, Quimper, and Brest
- ESADMM École supérieure d'art et de design Marseille-Méditerranée
- ENSA École nationale des beaux arts de Nancy
- École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA), Paris
- ESAD École supérieure d'art et design de Valence, Valence
- EBABX École supérieure des beaux-arts de Bordeaux
Famous People from the Paris School
Many talented artists and designers have been part of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, either as teachers or students.
Notable Instructors (Paris)
Some well-known teachers at the school include:
- Marina Abramović
- Christian Boltanski
- Gustave Moreau
- Annette Messager
Notable Alumni (Paris)
Many famous artists, architects, and designers studied at the Paris school. Here are a few:
- William-Adolphe Bouguereau, painter
- Bernard Buffet, painter
- Edgar Degas, painter
- Eugène Delacroix, painter
- Jean-Honoré Fragonard, painter
- Charles Garnier, architect (designed the Paris Opera House)
- Théodore Géricault, painter
- Hubert de Givenchy, fashion designer
- Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, painter
- Julia Morgan, architect (first woman architect licensed in California)
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir, painter
- Augustus Saint-Gaudens, sculptor
- John Singer Sargent, painter
- Georges Seurat, painter
- Alfred Sisley, painter
- Valentino, fashion designer
See also
In Spanish: École des Beaux-Arts para niños
