Syracuse University was a forerunner in fine arts education in the United States. In 1873, the College of Fine Arts opened as the first-degree conferring organization of its kind stateside, and in 1875, the first student graduated with a bachelor’s degree in painting. The same year, the Art Students League of New York opened its doors. These lockstep legacies are being celebrated in a new exhibition, “Depicting the Everyday: A Legacy of Fine Arts Education at the Art Students League,” at the Bernard and Louise Palitz Gallery, the Art Museum’s visual arts venue in Midtown Manhattan.

The Art Students League was founded with a commitment to creative freedom for how the fine arts were taught. Since the first figure drawing sessions were offered 150 years ago, the league has seen over 200,000 artists practice their craft in its studios. Drawn from the University Art Museum’s collection, “Depicting the Everyday” explores the range of subject matter artists who taught at the league turned to while honing their technique, from urban vignettes to intimate portraits of loved ones.

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, from 6–8 p.m. the University Art Museum will host a reception and gallery talk at the Bernard and Louise Palitz Gallery. Art Students League assistant curator Esther Moerdler will speak about the exhibition and the institution’s legacy, followed by a Q&A session. The event is free and open to all, with drinks and light refreshments provided.

“Depicting the Everyday: A Legacy of Fine Arts Education at the Art Students League” will be on view through Feb. 9, 2026.