Academy of Fine Arts, Munich


The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany.

History

The history of the academy goes back to the 18th century, before the 1770 founding by Elector Maximilian III. Joseph, the so-called "drawing school", which already bore the name "academy" in its name. The Academy of Fine Arts was enhanced in 1808 by King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria as Royal Academy of Fine Arts.
The Munich School refers to a group of painters who worked in Munich or were trained at the Academy between 1850 and 1918. The paintings are characterized by a naturalistic style and dark chiaroscuro. Typical painting subjects included landscape, portraits, genre, still-life, and history.
From 1900 to 1918 the academy's director was Ferdinand Freiherr von Miller. In 1946, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts was merged with the School of arts and crafts and the School of applied arts. In 1953, its name was changed to the current Academy of Fine Arts.

Buildings

The large 19th-century Renaissance Revival style building complex, designed by Gottfried Neureuther, was completed in 1886. It has housed the Academy since then.
A new Deconstructivist style expansion, designed by the architectural firm Coop Himmelbau as an extension from the original building, was completed in 2005.
The AkademieGalerie is located at the nearby subway station Universität. Since 1989 students could show artworks especially created for this location.

Teaching

The study at the Academy is organized in class associations. Overall, the Academy accommodates twenty-three classes, led by professors, who each stand for an individual approach to contemporary fine art. These classes are complemented by twenty study workshops and a library, as well as seminars and lectures in art science, philosophy and didactics.
The following study programs are offered:

Notable professors