The Salon was an official art exhibition sponsored by the French government, originating in 1667 when Louis XIV sponsored an exhibit of works by members of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. It was held in the Salon d’Apollon of the Louvre Palace in Paris, and after 1737 it became an annual event, with a jury system introduced in 1748. During the French Revolution, the Salon opened to all French artists, though academicians retained control through much of the 19th century. Its influence waned after the Société des Artistes Français took over in 1881 and as independent avant-garde exhibitions gained prominence.
This article matters because the Salon was a central institution in the development of French art, shaping public taste and artistic careers for over two centuries. Its decline reflects the broader shift from state-controlled academic exhibitions to the independent, avant-garde movements that defined modern art, such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Understanding the Salon's history provides key context for the evolution of art exhibition practices and the tension between official and experimental art in the 19th century.