Art History
What is Art History?
Art history is the study of the development and history of the visual arts, including painting, sculpture, architecture, and other forms of image-making. The field encompasses a broad range of approaches and subject matter, including the art of different cultures and periods, as well as the study of specific artists, genres, styles, and movements. Art history can be studied at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and many colleges and universities offer both degree programs and courses in art history.
Art History Resources
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
The classic illustrated introduction to the Greek gods, goddesses and heroes — a staple read-aloud in classical homeschool programs.
Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great Masters
An award-winning hands-on art history curriculum featuring 60+ great artists with kid-tested activities that bring art movements to life.
The Virtual Window: From Alberti to Microsoft
As we spend more and more of our time staring at the screens of movies, televisions, computers, and handheld devices — “windows” full of moving images, texts, and icons — how the world is framed has become as important as what...
The Pacific
The arts of the Pacific vary by virtue of ecological situations, social structure, and impact of external influences, such as commerce, colonialism, and missionary activity. Created in a variety of media, Pacific arts are distinguished by the virtuos...
Art of the Islamic world
Early Period (c. 640-900 C.E.) From the rightfully guided caliphs who succeeded Muhammad, through the Umayyads' Dome of the Rock and Great Mosque of Damascus, to the decline of Abbasids rule....
American Cinema
With insights from over 150 Hollywood insiders, this series explores modern American cinema and features over 300 clips from American movies. In-depth treatments present film as a powerful economic force, potent twentieth-century art form,...
Late Gothic art in Italy
Italian art from the late 13th and 14th centuries was once known as primitive because it was seen largely as a transition from Medieval abstraction to the naturalism of the Renaissance (with a dose of Byzantine influence thrown in for good measure)....
Introduction to cultures and religions for the study of AP Art History
Explore Hinduism through clips of significant sites in South Asia and interviews with members of the Bay Area South Asian community. Learn more about Hinduism on t…...
Native American art after 1600
Native societies across North American developed diverse material cultures that reflect the character of their regions and respond to the universal issues of human and spiritual existence....
Indigenous Americas
Art of the Indigenous Americas is among the world’s oldest artistic traditions. While its roots lie in northern Asia, it developed independently between c. 10,000 B.C.E. and 1492 C.E., which marked the beginning of the European invasions. Regions and...
Art of Mexico in the 19th century
The landscapes of José María Velasco and the first art school in the Americas, the Real Academia de San Carlos...
Getty Games
From the Getty Museum, a selection of games that blend art history and fun. Flash required....