École des Beaux-Arts

The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts is one of the oldest and most renowned art academies. Founded in 1648 as the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, the school offered free art education to all social classes.

In 1816, the academy moved to its current location on the Left Bank of the Seine. For a long time, the emphasis was on classical painting, sculpture, and architecture. In 1968, the architecture program was separated, and the Prix de Rome competition was discontinued. Since then, the school has focused solely on visual arts and international collaboration. Many famous artists were trained here.