Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture

The Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture was founded in 1648 and located in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime, until it was abolished in 1793, during the French Revolution. It included most of the important painters and sculptors, maintained almost total control of teaching and exhibitions, and afforded its members preference in royal commissions.
In the 1640s, France's artistic life was still based on the medieval system of guilds like the Académie de Saint-Luc which had a tight grip on the professional lives of artists and artisans alike. Some artists had managed to get exemptions but these were based on favoritism rather than merit.
A few “superior men” who were “real artists” suffered and felt humiliated under this system.

Wikipedia