Mary’s Landscape Art Info

The governments of most European countries sponsored official academy exhibitions for artists throughout the 18^th and 19^th centuries. These exhibitions were usually the only venues in which artists could show their work and they typically showcased art that followed the rules - painting theoretical topics and using many layers of paint.

The Salon was established in 1667 by the French Academy and was named for the room in the Louvre in which it was held. It was the only public art exhibit in Paris and, as such, the jurors held great power in standardizing taste and preserving the status quo.

In 1863, jurors rejected 3000 paintings out of the 5000 submitted. As a result, Napoleon III established a Gallery of the Refused for artists whom the Salon rejected and it was held periodically over the next 20 years.