It was founded on January 1, 1660, upon the encouragement of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, its first president.
The students had to profess their orthodoxy by stating "Praised be the most holy Eucharist and the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady".
In school, conversation on subjects irrelevant to the subjects of the school was prohibited, and the offender was fined if he persevered in it, after the president had rung his bell twice.
Swearing, profane language, and offences against good manners were also fined.
This Sevillian Academy predated the Academia Real de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid.