Daniel Graves

Daniel Graves (born 1949) is an American oil painter and etcher living in Florence, Italy, since 1978. He specializes in landscapes, figurative subjects, and portraits. He is the director of the Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, which he founded in 1991.

Graves was born in 1949 in Rochester, New York. He graduated Cum Laude from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland, in 1972, where he studied under Joseph Sheppard and Frank Russell. While at the college, he learned the rapid painting technique used by Jacques Maroger. He then continued his studies at the Villa Schifanoia Graduate School of Fine Art in Florence, Italy, with Richard Serrin (1972-73). Following a course of training with Richard Lack in Minneapolis, Minnesota, (1975-76) he taught at the Atelier Lack Studio of Fine Art.

In 1978, Graves returned to Florence and undertook individual study with Nerina Simi, who maintained a classical nineteenth-century studio. Simi was the daughter of the Florentine painter Filadelfo Simi, who had studied with Jean-Léon Gérôme, the head of the French Academy in Paris in the 1870s. As an artist living in Florence, Graves also associated with and was influenced by Pietro Annigoni. 

Graves partnered with Charles Cecil to found Studio Cecil-Graves in Florence, where for many years he trained several practitioners of classical realism (1984-1991). He then established The Florence Academy of Art in 1991. The Florence Academy of Art has been at the forefront of classical realist art education for more than twenty years. In April 2008, Graves and The Florence Academy of Art received the Excellence in Art Education Award from the Portrait Society of America.

• 2019 - Villa Bardini, Florence, Italy, “Corpo a Corpo”
• 2019 - Robert Simon Fine Art, New York, NY, “Capturing the Artist”
• 2019 - The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, Florence, Italy, “Continuum – The Art of Daniel Graves”
• 2018 - Mana Contemporary, The Florence Academy of Art, Jersey City, NJ, “On Paper, An Exhibition of Drawings”
• 2018 - Mana Contemporary, The Florence Academy of Art, Jersey City, NJ, “12x12, A Portrait Exhibition”
• 2017 - The Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, “Realism Without Borders”
• 2017 - Eleventh Street Arts, New York, NY, “Self Portrait”
• 2016 - William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art, Thousand Oaks, CA, “Transmission: Secrets of the Studio”
• 2016 - Mana Contemporary, The Florence Academy of Art, Jersey City, NJ, “Consecrated Reality”
• 2015 - Mana Contemporary, The Florence Academy of Art, Jersey City, NJ, “Alumni Exhibition”
• 2014 - Richard Massey Foundation, New York, NY, “Chiaroscuro: Impressions and Imprints”
• 2013 - Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, NY, “The Figure in American Art 16th Annual Exhibition”
• 2012 - “The Florence Academy of Art - Sixth Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2011 - Galerie Michael, Beverly Hills, CA, “The Florence Academy of Art, Artist Alumni Exhibition”
• 2010 - “The Florence Academy of Art - Fifth Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2009 - “The Florence Academy of Art - Fourth Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2009 - Quidley and Company, Nantucket, MA, “Boston International Fine Art Show”
• 2008 - Ann Long Fine Art, Charleston, SC, “Maestros Exhibition”
• 2007 - “The Florence Academy of Art - Third Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2007 - The Grenning Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY, “Works on Paper Extravaganza”
• 2007 - Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, NY, “Daniel Graves Solo Exhibition”
• 2006 - Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, NY, “European Landscapes”
• 2006 - The Brigham Galleries, Nantucket, MA, “Water as Interpreted by The Florence Academy”
• 2006 - Solomon Gallery, Dublin, Ireland, “Italian Realism”
• 2006 - Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, NY, “Masters of The Florence Academy of Art”
• 2006 - W. H. Patterson Gallery, London, “The Florence Academy of Art Group Exhibition”
• 2006 - Ann Long Gallery, Charleston, SC, “Daniel Graves Solo Exhibition”
• 2006 - “The Florence Academy of Art - Second Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2005 - The Grenning Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY, “Solo Exhibition”
• 2005 - “The Florence Academy of Art - First Annual Alumni Exhibition”, Florence, Italy
• 2005-2007 - Travelling Exhibition, Exhibition of Four Generations of Artists, “Legacy: A Tradition Lives On”
• 2004 - Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, New York, NY, “The Florence Academy of Art Group Exhibition”
• 2003 - The Grenning Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY, “The Florence Academy of Art Group Exhibition”
• 2003 - Panorama Museum, Bad Frankenhausen, Germany, “Realism Revisited”
• 2003 - Hirschl & Adler Gallery, New York, NY, “Realism Revisited”
• 2002 - Century Gallery, Alexandria, VA, “Realism Revisited”
• 2002 - Andreeva Portraits, Santa Fe, NM, “Realism Revisited”
• 2002 - Drawing Exhibition, Rome, Italy, “Still Classical”
• 2002 - Konsthallen, Åmål, Sweden, “Etchings & Oils by Daniel Graves”
• 2002 - Ann Long Fine Art Gallery, Charleston, SC, “Landscape of the Northeast, Southeast and Europe”
• 2002 - Drawing Exhibition, West-Beth, Rhode Island, NY, “Still Classical”
• 2002 - The Grenning Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY, “Range of Realism”
• 2002 - John Pence Gallery, San Francisco, “Still Life and Interiors”
• 2001 - The Grenning Gallery, SagNereRo Harbor, NY, “Landscapes and Florals”
• 2000 - Ann Long Fine Art Gallery, Charleston, SC, “Living Tuscany”
• 1999 - Rochester Art Memorial Gallery, Rochester, NY
• 1997 - The Opera House Gotheburg, Sweden, “Art and Knowledge”
• 1997 - Portobello Road, London, England, “The Florence Academy of Art Alumni Exhibition”
• 1996 - New York Academy of Art, New York, NY, “The Florence Academy of Art Alumni Exhibition”
• 1996 - C. Duncan, Connelly Fine Art, Atlanta, GA, “Modern Classicism, The Revival of the Realist Tradition”
• 1996 - The Appleton Museum of Fine Art, Ocala, FL, “The Florence Academy of Art Group Exhibition”
• 1995 - Italian Cultural Institute, San Francisco, CA, “The Florence Academy of Art Group Exhibition”
• 1993 - Mary Anna Thompson and Associates, Lookout Mountain, TN, “Americans Abroad”
• 1988 - J.R. Leigh Gallery, Tuscaloosa, AL, “The First Ten Years of the J.R. Leigh Gallery”
• 1987 - University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ, “Frivolity and Morality”
• 1986 - Wunderlich Co. Inc, New York, NY, “Contemporary Realism”
• 1982 - Oxford Gallery, Rochester, NY, “Celebration of Twenty-Five Years (1961-1986)”
• 1982 - Cold Spring Harbor Gallery, Long Island, NY, Group Show
• 1982 - Grand Central Gallery, New York, NY, Group Show
• 1981 - La Querce, Florence, Italy, Group Show
• 1981 - Harley´s Art Center, Rochester, NY, Portrait Exhibition
• 1977 - Kennedy Galleries, New York, NY, Group Show
• 1976 - Atelier Lack, Minneapolis, MN, “The Twin Cities Guild of Painters, 2nd Annual Invitational Exhibition”
• 1976 - Friends Meeting House, St. Paul, MN, “Daniel Graves”

• The Duke and Duchess of Arenberg, Brussels, Belgium
• Princess Isabel of Arenberg, Brussels, Belgium
• Princess Leopold of Arenberg, Brussels, Belgium
• Mr. Frederic Fekkai and son, Alexander, New York, New York
• Mr. Ferruccio Ferragamo, Florence, Italy
• Mr. & Mrs. Olivia and Vittoria Ferragamo, Florence, Italy
• Mrs. Elizabeth Johnsson and children, New York, New York
• Mr. Richard J. Massey, The Richard J. Massey Foundation, New York, New York
• Mrs. Bethany Millard, New York, New York
• Mr. Robert Millard, New York, New York
• Mr. & Mrs. Silvia and Andrea Poggi, Florence, Italy
• Duke Nicholas Riario-Sforza, Polistena, Italy

• Aoyama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
• Colby College Museum of Art, Watersville, Maine
• The David Dibner Fund, MIT University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
• Oglethorpe University Museum, Atlanta, Georgia

• “Daniel Graves – Making the Past Present”, Peter Trippi, Realism Today, September 2019
• “Daniel Graves – Making the Past Present”, Peter Trippi, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, January 2019
• “The Florence Academy of Art”, Three Graces Gallery, 2018
• “Ateliers in Florence, centuries-old traditional art and the threat of Brexit”, Jacques Viljoen iNews: The Essential
• Daily Briefing, 2017
• The Florence Academy of Art: The First 25 Years (1991-2016), Allison Malafronte, The Florence Academy of Art,
• 2015
• The Patient Pupil of Nature: The Works and Vision of Daniel Graves, Magdalena Wasiura, Cv/Visual Arts Research
• Series 16, 2013
• “Daniel Graves - American Artist Passing Down Realism Techniques”, Melinda Gallo, The Florentine, January 2011
• “How the Academic Method Can Improve your Drawing and Painting”, M. Stephen Doherty, Artist Daily, February,
• 2010
• “Daniel Graves, Copying the Masters, Part II”, Zoe Bray, FAA News, March 2010
• “Daniel Graves, Copying the Masters, Part I”, Zoe Bray, FAA News, September 2009
• “Masters of Realism, Modern Masters”, The American Artist Highlights Magazine, 2009
• “Daniel Graves: Steward of Humanist Art”, M. Stephen Doherty, American Artist Magazine, 2007
• Legacy: A Tradition Lives On, Museum exhibition catalog, 2005
• “A New Direction in Art Education, The Florence Academy of Art, Andy Warhol, and a New Aesthetic Movement”,
• Dr. Gregory Hedberg, 2004
• “Uncontested Truths. Solving Problems through the Classical Tradition”, A'Dora Philips, International Artist
• Magazine, 2003
• Realism Revisited: The Florence Academy of Art, Hirschl & Adler Galleries exhibition brochure, Bad Frankenhausen,
• Germany: Panorama Museum, 2003
• “C. Daniel Graves”, Gerald Ackerman, American Artist Magazine, December 1988
• “A Comparison between Still Life Compositions through History, a Survey of Contemporary Still Lifes”, Hilton
• Brown, American Artist Magazine, February 1986