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AP® Art History

Syllabus

Course Essential Questions

  • What is art and how is it made?
  • Why and how does art change?
  • How do we describe our thinking about art?

Course Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate form, function, content and/or the context of a work of art.
  • Explain how artistic decisions about art making impact art.
  • Describe how artistic and historical context influences artistic decisions involved in creating a work of art.
  • Analyze the form, function, content and/or context to explain or determine the artist’s intentions during the creation of the work.
  • Describe features of an artistic tradition and/or change in a single work of art or a group of related works.
  • Explain how and why specific traditions and/or changes are demonstrated in one or more works of art.
  • Analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on works of art produced around the same time or later.
  • Identify a work of art with key identifiers, including artist or culture, date, and material.
  • Analyze how formal qualities of the work and/or content of a work of art brings about a response from the viewer.
  • Consider how contextual factors lead to different interpretations of art.
  • Justify attribution of an unknown work of art, using formal qualities and comparisons to other works.
  • Analyze relationships between different works of art based on their similarities and differences.

Week 1: Introduction to AP Art History

  • Understand the rules and policies of the course, and expectations of you as a contributing member of our learning community
  • Begin to build community by sharing important information with your teacher and classmates about yourself and your school, and creating a social contract together for guidelines on interacting throughout the class
  • Develop your skills for navigating the course environment and using the various course tools
  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and context.

UNIT 1: Global Prehistory, 30,000 -500 BCE

Week 2: Global Prehistory

Weekly Learning Objectives:

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Prehistoric works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating Prehistoric works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze relationships between works of art based on their similarities and differences.

UNIT 2: Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE - 300 CE

Week 3: Ancient Near East

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of the Ancient Near Eastern works of art in the Image Set.
  • Describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating Ancient Near Eastern works of art.
  • Analyze how formal qualities and/or content of Ancient Near Eastern works of art elicit(s) a response

Week 4: Ancient Egypt

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Ancient Egyptian works of art in the Image Set.
  • Describe features of tradition and/or change in a single work of art or in a group of related works of art from Ancient Egypt.
  • Justify attributions of an unknown work of art from Ancient Egypt.

Week 5: Archaic & Classical Greece

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Ancient Greek works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze relationships between Ancient Greek works of art based on their similarities and differences.
  • Explain how and why specific traditions and/or changes are demonstrated in a single work or group of related works from Ancient Greece.

Week 6: Hellenistic Greece, Etruscan, and Republican Rome

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Ancient Roman works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic production from Ancient Rome.
  • Describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art in Ancient Rome.

Week 7: Imperial Rome & Pompeii

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Ancient Roman works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic production from Ancient Rome.
  • Describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art in Ancient Rome.

Week 8: Summative Week (Units 1-2)

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Ancient Mediterranean works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic productions from the Ancient Mediterranean.
  • Describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art in the Ancient Mediterranean.

UNIT 3: South, East, and Southeast Asia, 300 BCE–1980 CE

Week 9: Hinduism & Buddhism

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of South, East, and Southeast Asian Hindu and Buddhist works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic productions in Buddhist Art of South, East, and Southeast Asia.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a Hindu work of art from South, East, and Southeast Asia.

Week 10: Imperial China, Korea, & Japan

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of works of art from Imperial China, Korea, and Japan in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of a work of art from Imperial China, Korea, and Japan elicit(s) a response.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art from Imperial China, Korea, and Japan.

UNIT 4: West and Central Asia, 500 BCE–1980 CE

Week 11: West and Central Asia, 500 BCE–1980 CE

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of West and Central Asian works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze relationships between works of art from West and Central Asia based on their similarities and differences.
  • Students explain how and why specific traditions and/or changes are demonstrated in a single work or group of related works from West and Central Asia.

UNIT 5: Indigenous Americas, 1000 1980 BCE-CE

Week 12: Indigenous Americas, 1000 1980 BCE-CE

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Indigenous American works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of an Indigenous American work of art elicit(s) a response.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art from the Indigenous Americas.

UNIT 6: Africa, 1100–1980 CE

Week 13: African Architecture & Works Related to Power and Authority

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of works of art by the Shona Peoples, Benin Kingdom (Edo Peoples), Ahanti Peoples, Kuba Peoples, Kongo Peoples, Chokwe Peoples, and the Baule Peoples in the Image Set.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art by the Shona Peoples, Benin Kingdom (Edo Peoples), Ahanti Peoples, Kuba Peoples, Kongo Peoples, Chokwe Peoples, and the Baule Peoples.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of a work of art by the Shona Peoples, Benin Kingdom (Edo Peoples), Ahanti Peoples, Kuba Peoples, Kongo Peoples, Chokwe Peoples, and the Baule Peoples elicit(s) a response.
  • Students analyze how contextual variables lead to different interpretations of a work of art by the Shona Peoples, Benin Kingdom (Edo Peoples), Ahanti Peoples, Kuba Peoples, Kongo Peoples, Chokwe Peoples, and the Baule Peoples.

Week 14: African Art That Connects to the Spiritual World

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of works of art by the Sande Society (Mende Peoples), Igbo Peoples, Mbudye Society (Luba Peoples), Bamileke Peoples, Fang Peoples, and the Youruba Peoples in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of a work of art by the Sande Society (Mende Peoples), Igbo Peoples, Mbudye Society (Luba Peoples), Bamileke Peoples, Fang Peoples, and the Youruba Peoples elicit(s) a response.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art by the Sande Society (Mende Peoples), Igbo Peoples, Mbudye Society (Luba Peoples), Bamileke Peoples, Fang Peoples, and the Youruba Peoples.

UNIT 7: The Pacific, 700–1980 CE

Week 15: The Pacific, 700–1980 CE

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of works of art from the Pacific islands from the Image Set.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art from the Pacific islands.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of a work of art from the Pacific islands elicit(s) a response.

UNIT 8: Early Europe & Colonial Americas, 200 - 1750 CE

Week 16: Early Christian, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Islamic Spain

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Early Christian, Byzantine, and Early Medieval works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze relationships between Early Christian and Byzantine works of art based on their similarities and differences.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of Early Christian, Byzantine and/or Early Medieval art.

Week 17: Romanesque & Gothic & the Alhambra

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Romanesque and Gothic works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of Romanesque and Gothic works of art elicit a response.
  • Students analyze relationships between Romanesque and Gothic works of art based on their similarities and differences.

Week 18: Italian Renaissance

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Italian Renaissance works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students describe features of tradition and/or change in a single work of art or in a group of related works from the Italian Renaissance.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of Italian Renaissance art.

Week 19: Northern Renaissance

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Italian Baroque works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students describe features of tradition and/or change in a single work of art or in a group of related works from the Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Italian Baroque periods.
  • Students analyze how contextual variables lead to different interpretations of a Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Italian Baroque work of art.

Week 20: Mannerism & Baroque (including Colonial Spain and Hogarth), Mosque of Selim II

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Baroque works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students explain how artistic decisions about art making shape Baroque works of art.
  • Students analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic production in Baroque art.

Week 21 Summative Week (Units 3-8)

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Early Christian, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Romanesque, Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque works of art in the Image Set.
  • Analyze relationships between Early Christian, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Romanesque, Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque works of art based on their similarities and differences.
  • Describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of Early Christian, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Romanesque, Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Northern Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque periods.

UNIT 9: Later Europe and Americas, 1750-1980 CE

Week 22: Rococo, Neoclassical, Romanticism

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Rococo, Neoclassical, and Romantic works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating Rococo, Neoclassical, and Romantic works of art.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of Rococo, Neoclassical, and Romantic works of art elicit a response.

Week 23: Realism, Photography, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Realist, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art from the Realist, Impressionist, and/or Post-Impressionist periods.
  • Students explain how and why specific traditions and/or changes are demonstrated in a single work or group of related works in Realism, Impressionism, and/or Post-Impressionism.

Week 24: Symbolism, Cubism, Austrian Secessionism, Fauvism

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Symbolist, Cubist, Austrian Secessionist, and Fauvist works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on other artistic production in Symbolist, Cubist, Austrian Secessionist, and Fauvist works of art.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating Symbolist, Cubist, Austrian Secessionist, and Fauvist works of art.

Week 25: German Expressionism, Neoplasticism, Russian Constructivism, Dada, Surrealism

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of German Expressionist, Neoplasticist, Russian Constructivist, Dada, and Surrealist works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students explain how artistic decisions about art making shape a work of art in German Expressionism, Neoplasticism, Russian Constructivism, Dada, and Surrealism.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art in German Expressionism, Neoplasticism, Russian Constructivism, Dada, and Surrealism.
  • Students explain how artistic decisions about art making shape a work of art in German Expressionism, Neoplasticism, Russian Constructivism, Dada, and Surrealism.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific work of art in German Expressionism, Neoplasticism, Russian Constructivism, Dada, and Surrealism.

Week 26: Lawrence, Lam, Rivera, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Earth Art, Kusama

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of works of art by Lawrence, Lam, Rivera, Abstract Expressionists, Pop Artists, Earth Artists, and Kusama in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of a work of art by Lawrence, Lam, Rivera, Abstract Expressionists, Pop Artists, Earth Artists, and Kusama elicit(s) a response.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating a work of art by Lawrence, Lam, Rivera, Abstract Expressionists, Pop Artists, Earth Artists, and Kusama.

Week 27: Modern Architecture

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Modern architectural works of art in the Image Set.
  • Students analyze form, function, content, and or context to infer or explain the possible intentions for creating a specific Modern architectural work of art.
  • Students describe features of tradition and/or change in a single work of art or in a group of related works in Modern architecture.

UNIT 10: Global Contemporary, 1980 CE to Present

Week 28: Contemporary Art Part 1 (1980-1991)

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of the Gates, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Horn Players, Summer Trees, Androgyne III, A Book from the Sky, Pink Panther, Untitled #228, and Dancing at the Louvre.
  • Students analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on the Gates, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Horn Players, Summer Trees, Androgyne III, A Book from the Sky, Pink Panther, Untitled #228, and/or dancing at the Louvre.
  • Students analyze how formal qualities and/or content of the Gates, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Horn Players, Summer Trees, Androgyne III, A Book from the Sky, Pink Panther, Untitled #228, and/or Dancing at the Louvre elicit(s) a response.

Week 29: Contemporary Art Part 2 (1992-1998)

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), Earth’s Creation, Rebellious Silence, En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000), Electronic Superhighway, The Crossing, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and Pure Land.
  • Students explain how artistic decisions about art making shape Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), Earth’s Creation, Rebellious Silence, En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000), Electronic Superhighway, The Crossing, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and/or Pure Land.
  • Students describe how context influences artistic decisions about creating Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), Earth’s Creation, Rebellious Silence, En la Barberia no se Llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop), Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000), Electronic Superhighway, The Crossing, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and/or Pure Land.

Week 30: Contemporary Art Part 3 (2001-2011)

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate the components of form, function, content, and/or context of Lying with the Wolf, Darkytown Rebellion, The Swing (after Fragonard), Old Man’s Cloth, Stadia II, Preying Mantra, Shibboleth, MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, and Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds).
  • Students analyze the influence of a single work of art or group of related works on Lying with the Wolf, Darkytown Rebellion, The Swing (after Fragonard), Old Man’s Cloth, Stadia II, Preying Mantra, Shibboleth, MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, and/or Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds).
  • Students describe features of tradition and/or change in Lying with the Wolf, Darkytown Rebellion, The Swing (after Fragonard), Old Man’s Cloth, Stadia II, Preying Mantra, Shibboleth, MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, and/or Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds).

Unit 11: AP Exam Preparation and Reflection

Week 31: AP Practice Exam

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Review and reflect on the analysis of student responses from a previous AP Art History Exam.
  • Complete a full-length AP Practice Exam.
  • Review and analyze the most important works of architecture from the course content.

Week 32: AP Practice Exam Review

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Discuss the challenges you encountered when taking the AP Practice Exam and share strategies for answering questions.
  • Review and reflect on your performance on the AP Practice Exam.

Week 33: Final Reflections on AP Art History

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Reflect on the most important works of sculpture and painting from this course.
  • Describe your final thoughts on your experience in this course.
  • Provide feedback on the course.