Events from the year 1748 in art.

• The Paris Salon first introduces a jury.
• Patience Lovell, the first recognized American-born sculptor, marries Joseph Wright.

• Canaletto – The South Façade of Warwick Castle (Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid)
• Maurice Quentin de La Tour – Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France and Nazarre (pastels)
• Robert Feke – Portrait of William Bowdoin
• Thomas Gainsborough – Landscape in Suffolk
• William Hogarth – The Gate of Calais, or O, the Roast Beef of Old England

• Prix de Rome (for sculpture) – Augustin Pajou

• May 22 – Thomas Roberts, Irish Landscape artist (died 1778)
• June 22 – John Carter, English draughtsman and architect (died 1817)
• August 30, Jacques-Louis David, French painter (died 1825)
• September 26 – Johann Sebastian Bach, German painter and grandson of the composer (died 1778)
• October 9 – Jacob Adam, Austrian copper etcher (died 1811)
• October 16 – Augustin Dupré, French engraver of French currency and medals (died 1833)
• October 13 – Johann Dominicus Fiorillo, painter and art historian (died 1821)
• date unknown
  • Antonio Carnicero, Spanish painter in the Neoclassical style (died 1814)
  • Christina Chalon, Dutch painter and etcher (died 1808)
  • Marie-Anne Collot, French sculptor (died 1821)
  • Rosalie Duthé, French courtesan and artists' model (died 1830)
  • Charles Eschard, French painter, draftsman and engraver (died 1810)
  • Pierre-Charles Jombert, French painter (died 1825)
  • Louis Masreliez, Swedish painter and interior designer (died 1810)
  • John Ramage, Irish American goldsmith and miniaturist (died 1802)
  • Dionys van Dongen, Dutch painter (died 1819)
  • Marten Waefelaerts, Flemish 18th century landscape painter (died 1799)
  • 1748/1749: Henry Pelham, American painter, engraver, and cartographer (died 1806) (drowned)

• April 12 – William Kent, English architect and designer (born 1685)
• May 5 – Alessandro Galli Bibiena, Italian architect and painter, eldest son of Ferdinando Galli Bibiena (born 1686)
• June 11 – Felice Torelli, Italian from a family of painters, painter of altarpieces (born 1667)
• August 14 – Thomas Germain, French silversmith (born 1673)
• September 15 – Johann Georg Schmidt, Austrian Baroque painter (born 1685)
• date unknown
  • Ferdinando del Cairo, Italian painter of the Baroque (born 1666)
  • Giovanni Casini, Italian portrait painter and sculptor (born 1689)
  • Giovanni Battista Lama, Italian painter, active mainly in Naples (born 1673)
  • Giovanni Pietro Ligario, Italian painter of historical pictures for churches and private collections (born 1686)
  • Henry Scheemakers, Flemish sculptor (born unknown)
  • Robert van Audenaerde, Flemish painter and engraver (born 1663)