Final answer:
In the mid-19th century, the Académie des Beaux-Arts upheld traditional French art standards, prioritizing historical and religious themes. The Académie's hierarchy of genres and classical style influenced European and American art until the rise of movements like Romanticism and Impressionism, which shifted the focus to personal expression and contemporary subject matter.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the middle of the 19th century, the Académie des Beaux-Arts was a significant force in French art, recognized for its commitment to maintaining conventional standards of style and content. Paintings that followed academic art traditions had to resemble realism meticulously and generally portrayed historical, religious themes, and portraits, which were valued over landscapes or still life. The Académie dictated the art scene by emphasising the adhesion to classical art standards and suppressing the artists' individuality and expression through the precise concealment of brush strokes and subdued colors. The hierarchy of genres was a fundamental aspect of academic art, with history painting considered the most prestigious. This system ranked artworks based on the importance of their subject matter, with classical themes at the top and contemporary subjects like landscapes and still lifes at the lower end. This doctrine of art also affected the acceptance of new movements such as Impressionism, which sought to diverge from these traditional norms, putting emphasis on the artist's perspective and the portrayal of contemporary life. While French academic art was well-established and rooted in classical traditions, the impact of Romanticism and the rise of the Impressionists marked a shift towards valuing personal expression and the depiction of modernity. Such transitions reflected a broader interest in modern art that captured the individuality of both the artist and era, creating new opportunities for innovation in the art world during the late 19th century.