Académie Julian

The Académie Julian (French pronunciation: ​[akademi ʒyljɑ̃]) was an art school in Paris, France.

History

Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered independent training in arts. At that time, women were not allowed to enroll for study to the École des Beaux-Arts, but the new Académie Julian accepted them, providing an alternative education and training. Men and women were trained separately, and women participated in the same studies as men, including the basis of art training – drawing and painting of nude models.

Like its counterpart, the Académie Colarossi, it was popular with French as well as foreign students from all over the world, particularly Americans. Eventually, Académie Julian students were granted the right to compete for the Prix de Rome, a prize awarded to promising young artists.