Akademie der bildenden Künste in Wien#

Akademie der bildenden Kuenste (Academy of Fine Arts) in Vienna, founded 1688 (1692: first evidence of state support) by Peter Strudel as the first general education institution for artists outside the system of guilds and soon placed under the protection of the Habsburg rulers as the "Imperial Academy"; dissolved upon the death of its founder (1714). The Akademie der bildenden Kuenste was re-opened by J. van Schuppen in 1726 as a state institute for painting, sculpture and architecture and received a constitution similar to that of a college in 1751. In 1772, J. M. Schmutzer's Copper Engraving Academy, (founded 1766) and A. Domaneck's Embossing, Metal Cutting and Engraving Academy (founded 1767) were integrated into the Academy, as was the Commercial Drawing Academy (founded 1758) in 1786. These "United Academies of Fine Arts" (called "Academy of United Fine Arts" from 1812) also served as the "art authority of the nation" between 1812 and 1850. In 1872 it became the Kunsthochschule (College of Arts) with its current title; soon afterwards, it was moved to its present building, built 1872-1877 by T. Hansen. It has had the status of "university" since 1998.

In 1997 the Akademie der bildenden Kuenste comprised 8 master classes for painting and graphic arts, 2 for sculpture, 1 for medal making and miniature sculpture, 2 for architecture (with 3 affiliated university departments), 1 for stage design, 1 for restoration and conservation and 1 for tapestry-making; there are also 3 departments for teacher training, 1 for Colour Science and Chemistry and 4 cultural studies departments: History of Art, Contemporary Art, Religious Art, Philosophy and Aesthetics. It also houses a library (holdings totalled approx. 115,000 vols. in 1997), a painting exhibition gallery and the Otto Wagner Archives. The copper engraving collection is Austria´s most important graphic arts collection after the Albertina and is exhibited in the "Akademiehof" next to the Akademie der bildenden Kuenste.

Further reading#