Académie des Beaux-Arts

On 1793, August 8, the revolutionary Convention Nationale decreed the abolition of "toutes les académies et sociétés littéraires patentées ou dotées par la Nation" [all academies and learned societies licensed or endowed by the Nation] (Institut de France (1995), p.299).

According to Institut de France (1995), pp.18-19, the royal academies were suppressed by the Convention on 1793, August 8, because they were, in the words of Abbé Henri Grégoire (1750–1831), "gangrenées d'une incurable aristocratie."

The suppressed royal academies included the following national ones:

1. Académie Françoise (founded 1635, later called Académie Française);
2. Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture (founded 1648);
3. Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Médailles (founded 1663, renamed Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in 1716);
4. Académie Royale des Sciences (founded 1666);
5. Académie Royale de Musique (founded 1669);
6. Académie Royale d'Architecture (organized 1671).

On the same date that the royal academies were suppressed, the comité d'instruction publique de la Convention was charged with preparing as soon as possible an organizational plan for a "société destinée à l'avancement des science et des arts".

On 1795, October 25, the Convention adopted a report of Danou on the formation of such an organization, no longer referred to as a "société" but as an "institut national", and intended to cast into the shade the splendour of all the former royal academies (Institut de France (1995), p.19). This organization was called the Institut National des Sciences et Arts (Institut de France (1995), p.20).

According to p.20 of Institut de France (1995), the Institut originally had the following three Classes:

1. Première Classe: Classe des Sciences Mathématiques et Physiques [covered geometry, mechanical arts, astronomy, experimental physics, chemistry, natural history and mineralogy, botany and plant physiology, anatomy and zoology, medicine and surgery, agricultural economics and the veterinary arts.]
2. Deuxième Classe: Classe des Sciences Morales et Politiques [covered the analysis of sensations and thoughts, ethics, social science and legislation, political economy, history and geography.]
3. Troisième Classe: Classe de Littérature et Beaux-Arts [covered grammar, ancient languages, poetry, antiquities and monuments, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and oratory.]

According to p.29 of Institut de France (1995), Napoléon Bonaparte (1769–1821) decided, on the advice of a commission, to resurrect the former academies, but within the bosom of the Institut; so, on 1803, January 23, the Institut was re-organized into four classes corresponding to the academies suppressed by the Revolution:

1. Première Classe: Sciences Mathématiques et Physiques [corresponding to the Académie Royale des Sciences (founded 1666)]
2. Deuxième Classe: Langue et Littérature Françaises [corresponding to the Académie Françoise (founded 1635, later called Académie Française)]
3. Troisième Classe: Histoire et la Littérature Ancienne [corresponding to the Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Médailles (founded 1663, renamed Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in 1716)]
4. Quatrième Classe: Beaux-Arts [corresponding to a union of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture (founded 1648); Académie Royale de Musique (founded 1669); Académie Royale d'Architecture (organized 1671).]

In addition, it should be noted that, according to pp.307-308 of Institut de France (1995), in January of 1803 Napoléon Bonaparte had proposed a re-organization of the Institut inspired largely by the former royal model (suggesting among other things, restoring the designation of "Académie" to the various sections), which was rejected for this reason by the Conseil d'État. The plan adopted a few days later on 1803, January 23 did not include restoring the designation of "Académie".

Co-incidentally, this re-organization effectively suppressed the Classe des Sciences Morales et Politiques, the second class originally established by the Convention in 1795. It was not until 1832, October 26, that King Louis-Philippe (1773–1850) passed an order prepared by François Guizot (1787–1874) and Pierre-Louis Roederer (1754–1835) that re-established the Classe as the Académie Royale des Sciences Morales et Politiques (Institut de France (1995), p.352).

Although the First Restoration of the Monarchy occurred in 1814, there was too much instability in the country until after the Second Restoration of the Monarchy (which occurred around July 1815, after the defeat of Napoléon Bonaparte, who had returned from exile in February of 1815), for any reform of the Institut (Institut de France (1995), p.32).

On 1816, March 21, Louis XVIII (1755–1824) issued an order fixing the statutes of the Institut; one notable change was the return of the designation of "Académie" to the constituent parts of the Institut (Institut de France (1995), p.310).

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

Its publications.

A

The record in the German Union cat. (GBV) gives the title as Procès-Verbaux de l'Académie des Beaux-Art, but also provides a note indicating that v.1 was for Ans IV/VIII, v.2 was for Ans IX/XIV and v.3 was for 1806/10 of Institut National des Sciences et Arts (Paris) / Classe de Littérature et Beaux-Arts: Procès-verbaux de la Classe de Littérature et Beaux-Arts. The record also indicates that this is a 1937-1943 reprint by Colin of Paris of a Paris edition published by De Nobele.

B

Continues Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres depuis son établissement... avec les Mémoires de Littérature tiréz des registres de cette Académie.

C

At the beginning the title was Notice des Travaux de la Classe des Beaux-Arts.

According to the record in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB)from 1807 - 1810 it had the parallel title Séance Publique de la Classe des Beaux-Arts de l'Institut de France, and for 1811 it had the parallel title Séance Publique de la Classe des Beaux-Arts de l'Institut Impérial de France.

The record in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB) indicates that the sponsoring body was called Institut de France from 1807 - 1810, and Institut Impérial de France from 1811 - 1813.

Continued by E.

D

The records in the Bibliot. Nat. France cat. gives the detailed publication history of these volumes, indicating that they were published long after the dates of the sessions themselves.

E

The record in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB) gives a publication history of 1815- , but the only library holdings given are for the year 1815 alone. We have not found another library catalogue listing this title.

Continues C.

F

G

The record in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB) indicates that the title did not appear from 1941 - 1955. It also indicates that I merged into this title.

I merged into this title.

Continued by J.

H

The record in the Univ.Leiden cat. indicates that this also had the titles Bulletin / Académie des Beaux-Arts and Bulletin de l’Académie des Beaux-Arts à l’Institut de France

Continued by I.

I

The record in the Univ.Leiden cat. indicates that after 1938 the title was continued by G.

Continues H.

Continued by G.

J

The record in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB) indicates that this title is a continuation of G; it also gives the enumeration statement: 1956/57(1957) - .

The record in the Univ. Chicago cat. indicates that this title ceased with the volume for 1975.

The record in the Havard Univ. cat. for G indicates that that journal was suspended from 1941-1955, then resumed in 1956/1957, but that the volumes for 1957/58-1974/75 lacked a title (i.e. just gave the name of the sponsoring body); it does not clarify whether this title continued after 1975.

Continues G.