AP Art History
Units Of Study
Running horned woman, Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria. 6000–4000 bce. Pigment on rock.
Human expression existed across the globe before the written record. Prehistoric art is found worldwide and shares certain features, particularly concern with the natural world and humans’ place within it.
Seated boxer, Hellenistic Greek. c. 100 bce. Bronze.
Artistic traditions of the ancient Near East, dynastic Egypt, Greece and Rome illustrate the active exchange of ideas and reception of artistic styles among the Mediterranean cultures and the subsequent influence on the classical world.
The Virgin of Guadalupe, Miguel González. c. 1698 ce. Oil on canvas on wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
The early modern Atlantic World encompasses what is known today as Western Europe—specifically Italy, Spain, France, Germany, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands—and those territories in the Americas that were part of the Spanish empire, including the Caribbean. Antique, Medieval, Islamic, Renaissance, Baroque and Colonial art comprise this narrative of Western art history.
Fallingwater, Pennsylvania, U.S. Frank Lloyd Wright. 1936–1939 ce. Reinforced concrete, sandstone, steel, and glass.
From the mid-1700s to 1980 C.E., Europe and the Americas experienced rapid change and innovation. Art existed in the context of dramatic events such as industrialization, urbanization, economic upheaval, migrations, and wars. Countries and governments were re-formed; women’s and civil rights’ movements catalyzed social change.
City of Machu Picchu, Central highlands, Peru. Inka. c. 1450–1540 ce. Granite
Art of the Indigenous Americas is among the world’s oldest artistic traditions. Although its roots lie in northern Asia, it developed independently between c. 10,000 bce and 1492 ce, which marked the beginning of the European invasions. Regions and cultures are referred to as the Indigenous Americas to signal the priority of First Nations cultural traditions.
Female (Pwo) mask, Chokwe peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Late 19th to early 20th century ce. Wood, fiber, pigment, and metal.
Art in Africa is a combination of objects, acts, and events, created in a wide variety of media (vocal, aural, and visual) and materials (wood, ivory, metals, ceramic, fiber, and elements of nature) that are carved, cast, forged, modeled, woven, and combined. Coming of age and civic responsibility are processes marked by the creation, manipulation, and interpretation of art objects..
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem. Islamic, Umayyad. 691–692 ce, with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome.
The arts of West and Central Asia provide evidence of the cultural transfer of ideas and art forms throughout this region. The presence of Hellenistic architecture, Buddhist sculpture, ceramic tile decoration, and chinoiserie are each illustrations of this cultural transfer. Ceramics, metalwork, textiles, painting, calligraphy are some of the materials, processes, and techniques employed by artists. The mathematics and poetry of great mosques and manuscripts highlight our journey through this region.
Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Masons, marble workers, mosaicists, and decorators working under the supervision of Ustad Ahmad Lahori, architect of the emperor. 1632–1653 ce. Stone masonry and marble with inlay of precious and semiprecious stones; gardens.
Asian art was and is global, as the cultures of these regions were connected to each other and to West Asia and Europe, with clear reciprocal influences. In this unit, we connect works of art and artistic traditions to the cultural practices and belief systems. Many religious and philosophic traditions developed in these regions, and the art generated shows the strong influence of these traditions as art was created for the express purpose of supporting such beliefs and practices.
Moai on platform (ahu) Rapa Nui (Easter Island). c. 1100–1600 ce. Volcanic tuff figures on basalt base.
Works of art from this region are often performed, and the experience is central to the creation of and participation in them. Art and art making in this region is influenced by physical setting and available materials. Createdin a variety of media, such as sea ivory and shell, wood, coral, and stone, the arts of the Pacific are often distinguished by their use of these materials.
Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) Jaune Quick-to-See Smith. 1992 ce. Oil and mixed media on canvas.
Global contemporary art is characterized by the intersection of culture, materials, technologies, and the globalized context in which it is created. Because some art and art making is a specific reaction to or commentary on previous art or artistic traditions, it often cannot be understood without knowledge of the context or reference. Critiquing the past is a hallmark of these fantastic Postmodernists.