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Nineteenth century academic painting was popular because:
Nineteenth century academic painting was popular because:
Final answer:Nineteenth century academic painting was popular due to the rise of the middle class, which preferred realistic scenes from contemporary life that resonated with their experiences and fit well into their homes.Explanation:During the nineteenth century, academic painting gained immense popularity primarily due to the societal transformations driven by the Industrial Revolution. A burgeoning middle class, characterized by its newfound disposable income from industrial and manufacturing successes, sought to spend on artworks that aligned with their personal tastes and the domestic scale of their bourgeois homes. These tastes diverged from the grand historical themes upheld by theAcadémie des Beaux-Artsand gravitated instead towards landscapes, genre scenes, and still life that could easily be appreciated without niche historical or intellectual knowledge. Further encouraging this shift was the growing emphasis on realism, which focused on depicting contemporary life and everyday scenes, resonating with the modern audience's focus on reality, progress, and identification with the 'modern man'.Artists of this era aspired to be part of the prevailing spirit of progress and innovation, often challenging the more conservative notions of the Academy in pursuit of new artistic expressions relevant to their times. This inclination towards art reflecting contemporary norms and the aspirations of an increasingly influential middle class commerce and culture established nineteenth-century academic painting as the preferred choice for art collectors and a reflection of modern life....