Academy of San Carlos

Academy of San Carlos

Academy of San Carlos on Academia Street
Parent institution	Faculty of Arts and Design (UNAM)
Founder(s)	Charles III of Spain
Established	1781
Focus	Arts (graduate courses, mainly classical European traditional arts)
Formerly called	Academy of the Three Noble Arts of San Carlos: architecture, painting and sculpture of New Spain
Location	Mexico City , Mexico
Coordinates	19°25′59″N 99°07′44″W / 19.433086°N 99.128844°W / 19.433086; -99.128844
Website	https://academiasancarlos.unam.mx

The Academy of San Carlos (Spanish: Academia de San Carlos) is an art academy that historically played an important role in the development of Mexican art and architecture. Founded in 1781 as the School of Engraving, it was the first major art school and the first art museum in the Americas.

The school was moved to the Academia Street location about 10 years after its founding and is located at 22 Academia Street, just northeast of the Zócalo of Mexico City. It emphasized the European classical tradition in training until the early 20th century, when it shifted to a more modern perspective.

The Academy of San Carlos was integrated with the National Autonomous University of Mexico, eventually becoming the Faculty of Arts and Design, which is based in Xochimilco. Currently, only graduate courses of the modern school are given in the original academy building.^[1][2]