4. The Academy of Fine Arts

Image via Wikimedia Commons, Harper’s Weekly Magazine

The Academy of Fine Arts was a institution founded in 1802 to instruct students in the Greco-Roman classical style of art. To serve this purpose, the Academy held a notable collection of plaster copies of ancient sculptures and at least 24 volumes of Italian prints. This included copies of sculptures such as “The Fighting Gladiator,” “The Roman Senator,” and “Socrates.” Despite having this large collection of pieces to inspire artists, the Academy could not hold the interest of many young artists for too long. In 1825, a group of artists wanting to venture away from only copying the classics founded the National Academy of Design. By 1841, the Academy of Fine Arts had closed. The National Academy of Design, however, is still thriving on Fifth Ave in the Upper East Side.