Bringing Ancient Rome to Paris
To encourage the development of classical tastes and to give students
access to original classical artworks, the Académie established in 1663
a series of rigorous annual competitions named the Prix de Rome
Contests. The contest winners were awarded extended stays at the
prestigious Académie de France à Rome. Situated in
Rome, this affiliated school was founded by the
French during the time of Louis XIV (1643-1715) for the purpose
of providing classical training to young French artists and, ultimately, to
furnish Louis XIV's spacious new residence at Versailles with their works. The
tradition of the Prix de Rome Contests, which promoted the return to classical
styles of representation, was to continue for 320 years.
