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
Little Beasts; Art, Wonder, and the Natural World Published on 15 May, 2025
Experience the wonder of nature through the eyes of artists. Look closely at art depicting insects and other animals alongside real specimens.
Art played a pivotal role during the dawn of European natural history in the 16th and 17th centuries. Advancements in scientific technology, trade, and colonial expansion allowed naturalists to study previously unknown and overlooked insects, animals, and other beestjes, or “little beasts.” Artists such as Joris Hoefnagel and Jan van Kessel helped deepen and spread knowledge of these creatures with highly detailed and playful works that inspired generations of printmakers, painters, decorative artists, and naturalists.
A delight for all ages, this exhibition features nearly 75 of these paintings, prints, and drawings in a unique presentation alongside specimens and taxidermy from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Learn about the rich exchange between artists and naturalists that sparked a fascination with earth’s living creatures, big and small.
The exhibition runs from May 18 – November 2, 2025 at the National Gallery of Art, Constitution Ave NW, Washington D.C.
For more information, please click here.
Visit the ARC Calendar for more.
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.
🎂 Born on this day
- Gustave Courtois (1852-1923)
- Wilhelm Bernatzik (1853-1906)
- Jan Veth (1864-1925)
💀 Died on this day
- Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867)
- Casto Plasencia (1846-1890)
- Hermann Prell (1854-1922)
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