In 1648 the Académie Royale in France became the first national art institution in Europe. The Académie established a ranked hierarchy of subjects of art. From the 17th to the early 20th century, history painting persisted as the most prestigious artistic subject while still life painting ranked lowest in artistic importance. History painting drew its themes from classical history or mythology, the Bible or other religious sources, literature, and contemporary historical events. It was considered a great challenge for an artist, as a typical image cast multiple human figures in a dramatic narrative and was painted on a grand scale.