AP Art History B

Unit 1 covers 14th and 15th Century Italy, Northern Europe works of art and later works of art from South America and Mesoamerica. 14th century Italian art was a time of transition that included previous traditions and a revival of interest in the Greco–Roman past. 15th century Italian Renaissance art with its renewed interest in the natural world, changes in status of the artist, and issues of patronage is examined. The 15th century Northern Renaissance embodied an interest in observable subjects, in contrast to the Italian Renaissance that emulated Greco–Roman idealism. The concept that the Mesoamerican and South American cultures had no contact with one another and how each provides a unique world view is investigated.

Unit 2 covers 16th works of art in Italy, Northern Europe and Oceania. 16th century Italian art was the High Renaissance period which was characterized by an artistic emphasis on balance and reason. The great High Renaissance artists: Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci created works of art during this time. 16th century Northern European art showed a different economy and social structure that resulted in religious change which led to changes in the subjects of art and new sources of patronage. The art of Oceania is narrative conveying the history and tradition of the diverse cultures while sharing several commonalities.

Unit 3 covers 17th and 18th century, Later Islamic and South Asian works of art. 17th century was commonly known as the Baroque period. Baroque art subjects were depicted with realism and drama. Landscape and still life were common subjects in Northern European works of art while religious subjects remained important in Italian, Flemish and Spanish works of art. 18th century art changes from the sensuously ornate Rococo style to the Neoclassical style which looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. The later Islamic and South Asian works of art are often religious in nature and includes works of art from three major religions: Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Unit 4 covers art from the 19th Century and from Japan after 1336 and China after 1279. 19th century art covers many different styles of art such as Romanticism, influences of the Royal Academy of Arts and the Paris Salon, Realism, Impressionism, Postimpressionism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau and new trends in architecture. The invention of photography and its impact on art is examined. After 1885, the Postimpressionists tried new techniques and subjects in their art. The influence of Japanese art on 19th century art such as Impressionism and Postimpressionism is investigated along the study of later Chinese and Japanese works of art.

Unit 5 covers 20th and 21th centuries works of art and Native North American works of art created after 1300 and African works of art created after 1800. Astounding scientific discoveries, technological breakthroughs, tumultuous political and social events all affected the artworks of the 20th century. Works of art reflected the horrors of WWI and WWII in a variety of ways. American Modernists sought to differentiate their art from that of Europeans, and New York became the new center of the international art world. The turbulent episodes in politics and society, including the Vietnam War, in the 1960s and 1970s led to extremes in artistic expression. Recent artists have revised definitions of art as they put old techniques to new uses and employed new materials and technologies to create art. North American tribes created ornate, beautiful and refined utilitarian objects. African tribes created religious, moral, and sacred objects; the aesthetic of their art was to be beautiful or fierce according to the spiritual reasons.