Leading the revival of realism in the visual arts, the Art Renewal Center® (ARC), a 501(c)(3), non-profit, educational foundation, hosts the largest online museum dedicated to representational art and includes works by the old masters, 19th century, and 21st Century Artists as well as articles, letters and other online resources. The ARC is the foremost and only vetting service for representational art schools ensuring that the teaching curricula and quality of teacher and student work meet our strict standards to become ARC ApprovedR. The ARC also runs the ARC Salon Competition, which is the largest and most prestigious competition in the world for realist artists painting, sculpting and drawing today with eleven categories and thousands of works competing, culminating in a live exhibition of many of the winning works. The ARC works with other ARC Allied OrganizationsTM, artist groups, museums, and publications to become a central news hub for the 21st Century Representational Art Movement. Read the ARC Philosophy written by ARC Chairman, Frederick C. Ross, to learn why ARC is so passionately dedicated to representational art.
Most Recent Blog
Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men Published on 17 April, 2025
French painter Gustave Caillebotte’s interest in male subjects sharply distinguishes him from his Impressionist peers. Overwhelmingly, he observed and depicted the men in his life—including his brothers, bachelor friends, fellow sportsmen, and the workers and bourgeois of his neighborhood—and did so in bracingly original paintings that often subverted artistic and gender norms. His distinctive vision of modern masculinity is considered here for the first time in a major international loan exhibition.
This exhibition runs from February 25 – May 25, 2025 at the Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049.
To learn more, click here.
Visit the ARC Calendar for more events and exhibitions.
The ARC Museum is the largest online museum dedicated completely to realist art work. It contains tens of thousands of images by thousands of artists and includes works by 19th century and old master artists through our general search pages, as well as 21st century realist works by our ARC Affiliated ArtistsSM.
Our news section consists of two parts, the first being our News Blog where we post daily to keep our viewers informed on relevant topics about realist art and the second is our Events Calendar which is an interactive calendar listing of all the exciting realist art events taking place around the world including: exhibitions, lectures, open houses, competitions, artist demonstrations, video and podcast releases, publication releases, enrollment dates and more. The calendar can also be viewed in three ways, as a calendar, a general listing, or as a world map.
As a non-profit educational foundation, education is one of our primary goals. Here is where you can find our ARC ApprovedR School listing, ARChives where we have our articles, letters and more, The Da Vinci Initiative which focuses on skill-based learning in K-12 classrooms, artist interviews, artist demonstrations, podcasts, self help books and more.
Find out more about the ARC and its staff. Learn about our mission and ARC philosophy. Find information on ARC Allied Organizations and how to contact us.
View the results of past and current ARC competitions or submit your entries here. The ARC holds two types of competitions. The ARC Scholarship Competition, held every May, gives thousands of dollars in direct financial aid to students attending ARC ApprovedR Schools. The International ARC Salon, the most prestigious realist art competition in the Americas and perhaps the world, offers over $100,000 in cash awards and International recognition through partnerships with prestigious magazines, galleries, museum exhibitions, and a strong online presence.
Help support the ARC by purchasing fine art prints, books, DVDs, or more. Here you will also find information on image usage and advertising rates.
Recent additions to the website
View all recent additions.
April 11, 2025
Added The Edwardians: Age of Elegance to the ARC Calendar.
Added Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine to the ARC Calendar.
April 7, 2025
Added Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men to the ARC Calendar.
Added Curated by Teens: Death as a Constant Companion to the ARC Calendar.
Added Scented Visions: Smell in Art 1850—1915 to the ARC Calendar.
Added Guido Philipp Schmitt.
April 4, 2025
Added Breakfast Piece by Herbert Badham.
Added Herbert Badham by Herbert Badham.
Added Cleopatra by Alfonso Balzico.
Added Self-portrait by Alfonso Balzico.
Added The Assumption of the Virgin by Joachim Patinir.
Added Landscape with Saint Jerome by Joachim Patinir.
Added Una and the Lion by William Bell Scott.
Added The Nativity by William Bell Scott.
Added The Eve of the Deluge by William Bell Scott.
Added Cockcrow by William Bell Scott.
Added Ailsa Craig by William Bell Scott.
Added Thomas Evans by William Bell Scott.
