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Module 4 - History of Art

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Activity 1 : : Activity 2 : : Activity 3 : : Activity 4

Activity 1: Introduction to History of Art

Visit the following website: Art History 101: About.com
 
Click on the link that says Art History 101: A Brisk Walk Through the Eras. Read through the four pages that starts with Art From the Stone Age to the Fall of Rome - 30,000 BC - 400 AD and ends with 1970s-Present.  This site will provide you with a basic chronology of art historical styles, characteristics, and cultural influences of different eras.
 
Each of the art historical eras you read about on the above website had a profound effect on the ones to follow. After you have read the above information on Art Historical Periods, break them down onto separate note cards. After listing dates, places, and major characteristics, some important questions to ask yourself include:
 
  • What functions has art fulfilled in previous art historical eras?  For example what was the purpose of Prehistoric Art and Art of Ancient Civilizations?
  • What prompted the rise of Humanism in Classical Greek/Roman Art? (In other words, what change happened in art from the Prehistoric and Ancient Civilization to the art of the Classical Period?)
  • What was the purpose of Art of the middle ages? (Research Illuminated Manuscripts and Cathedrals from this time period)
  • Renaissance Art was looking back to the art of what other period?
  • When did the first examples of a move toward Abstraction happen in art?
 
Note the general idea of what you are being asked above and enter the terms and concepts into your notebook for reference and further study.
 
Some other websites that go into greater detail about art historical periods:
 
  • A Timeline of Art History The Met Museum has an excellent website which goes into specifics about art historical periods along with examples of great works of art from their collection.
  • Humanities Web This website has an art index of art historical periods that is very easy to follow and use for your studying. 
  • The National Gallery of Art is a great learning resource. There are online tours of major artists, subject matter, and specific works of art.
  • Annenberg Videos – Art of the Western World If you want a very good way of putting art history into context, try this website by Annenberg Media. The video series called Art of the Western World is a wonderful way for students to learn about the history of art from Classical Greek/Roman to the present. The site requires that you sign up for a free account so simply use your WGU email address and a created password, and then you can watch the nine videos in the series. This is especially useful to be able to see very important works of art and the gradual shift in cultural attitudes that led to the birth of Modern Art and the move towards abstraction.
  • Art of the Middle Ages This website has some wonderful information on the purpose of art during the middle ages.
Copyright 2008, by the Contributing Authors. Cite/attribute Resource. sguy. (2007, March 01). Module 4 - History of Art. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from Western Governors University Web site: http://ocw.wgu.edu/liberal-arts/visual-and-performing-arts-after-11-30-2007/module-4-history-of-art. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons License