National Academy of Design

National Academy of Design. Founded in 1825 by a group of prominent artists including Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, and Thomas Cole, it is one of the oldest artist-run institutions in the United States. Established to promote the fine arts in America through exhibition and instruction, it has played a central role in the development of American art. The organization is known for its prestigious membership of artists and architects, its historic annual exhibitions, and its significant collection of American art.

History

The academy was established in 1825 in New York City by artists seeking to create a national institution to rival European academies like the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Its first president was the painter and inventor Samuel F. B. Morse, who was a leading figure in its early years alongside landscape painters like Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand. Initially named the New-York Drawing Association, it was soon reorganized and incorporated in 1828 as the National Academy of the Arts of Design. Throughout the 19th century, its annual exhibitions at venues like the New-York Historical Society and later its own buildings became pivotal events, showcasing the work of Hudson River School artists, portraitists like John Singer Sargent, and sculptors such as Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The academy faced periods of challenge, including financial difficulties and competition from newer museums like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it maintained its core mission as a society for practicing artists.

Organization and membership

The academy is a self-governing honorary society, with membership considered one of the highest honors in American art and architecture. New members, known as National Academicians, are elected by the existing body of artists and architects from the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, graphic arts, and related disciplines. The organization is led by a president, historically figures like Daniel Chester French and more recently photographer Bruce Weber, and a council. Distinguished past members have included architects Stanford White and Richard Morris Hunt, painters Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, and Georgia O'Keeffe, and sculptors Daniel Chester French and Louise Nevelson. The academy also oversees the School of Fine Arts, which has provided formal art education for generations of students.

Notable people

Throughout its history, the academy's membership has encompassed a vast array of seminal American cultural figures. Founding members and early leaders included Thomas Cole, a founder of the Hudson River School, and Asher B. Durand. Later 19th-century Academicians were pivotal figures like the expatriate painter John Singer Sargent, the American Impressionist Childe Hassam, and the realist Thomas Eakins. Twentieth-century members represent a broad spectrum of modernism and beyond, including the precisionist Charles Sheeler, the abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning, the color field painter Helen Frankenthaler, and the pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. Notable architect members have ranged from the Beaux-Arts proponent Cass Gilbert, designer of the Woolworth Building, to modernists like I. M. Pei and Richard Meier.

Exhibitions and collections

The academy's annual exhibitions, a tradition since 1826, have been a primary venue for artists to present new work to the public and critics, influencing trends in American art. These shows historically introduced the public to movements like the Hudson River School and American Impressionism. The academy also holds a distinguished permanent collection of over 8,000 works, assembled primarily through mandatory presentation pieces, known as Diploma Works, donated by each member upon their election. This collection includes major paintings by Albert Bierstadt, Eastman Johnson, and Robert Henri, sculptures by Anna Hyatt Huntington, and architectural drawings by Frank Lloyd Wright. The collection is particularly noted for its comprehensive survey of American art from the 19th century to the present.

Buildings and locations

The academy has occupied several purpose-built homes in New York City. Its first dedicated building, a Venetian Gothic structure, opened in 1865 on Fourth Avenue and 23rd Street. In 1901, it commissioned a grand Beaux-Arts building from architects Ogden Codman Jr. and Donn Barber at 1083 Fifth Avenue, overlooking Central Park at 89th Street. This building, expanded in later years, housed its galleries, school, and administration for most of the 20th century. In the early 21st century, the academy entered into a long-term partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and later with the Grey Art Gallery at New York University, to present exhibitions and care for its collection, while maintaining its headquarters and mission in New York.

Category:Art organizations based in New York City Category:Art museums in Manhattan Category:Art schools in New York City Category:Organizations established in 1825