AP Art History 2015-2016
Summer 2015 Assignment
Welcome to AP Art History!
I look forward to getting to know you as we travel through art history together! Below are the course
expectations and your summer assignment. You must select 2 of the 3 assignments listed to have
completed for the first day of class. If you have any questions about the assignments prior to our first
day of school, please email me at (manousosd@norwalkps.org).
Have a fantastic summer and I hope you enjoy your journey into the world of art history! –Ms.
Manousos
Class Expectations
All BMHS rules apply in the art department - Be on time (seated for bell)
- Respect the rights and property of others in class
- Be responsible for taking and maintaining notes
- Keep the room clean and organized on a daily basis
- Be prepared
- Contribute to class
- Stay on task
- Listen attentively and do not interrupt
- Positively contribute to classroom discussion and activities
- Turning in assignments on time
- Be positive and try your best/never give up.
Course Description
The AP Art History course is intended to prepare students for the AP Art History Exam.
from
Paleolithic through Postmodernism and is designed to provide students with the same material
covered in an introductory college course in art history. Students gain knowledge of architecture,
sculpture, painting, and other art forms within diverse historical and cultural contexts. Students
examine and critically analyze major forms of artistic expression from the past and present and from a
variety of European and Non-European cultures. In this course students engage in both visual and
historical study about art and its contexts. Students develop an understanding of artworks in their
context, considering issues of patronage, gender, politics, religion, ethnicity, and many others.
Attention is given to the interpretation of a work of art based upon its intended use, audience, and the
role of both the artist and work of art in a particular society. Throughout the study of Advanced
Placement Art History students examine how and why the work looks the way it does, what it means
within its particular context, and how and why it has this meaning.
Objectives
- Practice higher level creative and critical thinking skills about both history and art
- Communicate knowledge and idea with clarity in oral, written, and visual forms
- Practice the process and skills of art criticism
- Work effectively with others to accomplish a task or solve a problem
- Relate art vocabulary to the understanding of concepts in both oral and written form
- Understand the concept of context and contextual analysis as it relates to both European and nonEuropean visual works of art across cultures and throughout history
- Examine the relationship of context, function and style of artwork within a specific culture/time
period
- Develop a consciousness of the relationship between art and the development of civilization
- Demonstrate mastery of critical analysis of the three major art forms: sculpture, architecture, and
painting from the European and Art Beyond the European Tradition in written format
- Synthesize the interrelationship of the elements and principles of design in visual images
- Students will be prepared for the College Board Advanced Placement Art History Exam
Supplies
- A 1 1⁄2” or 2” 3-ring binder with lined notebook paper and dividers (students will receive many
handouts and dividers will help them organize the information)
- A spiral bound notebook (optional- you decide whether you’d like your notes in the binder or
notebook)
-A spiral bound sketchbook (some sketchbooks come with pages that have ½ the page blank for drawing
& ½ lined for writing)
-Dry erase markers
- Each student will be issued a Gardner’s Art Through the Ages 14th Edition textbook, which will be the
foundation of the course. Students are receiving brand new textbooks and are expected to take care of
them and return them at the end of the year (they may not write in or highlight the books). It’s
recommended that students leave their textbooks at home to use for reading and homework
assignments.
- For additional help, the Annotated Mona Lisa by Strickland is highly recommended. It provides an
overview of art history in an entertaining and easily understood format. You can find it only or at any
major bookstore for around $20 and is a great tool to review for the AP Exam in May.
Homework
The majority of homework assigned will be study related as students are suggested to study
regularly. At the beginning of each unit, students will be assigned a sketchbook assignment and a
chart: these will be due on test days.
Outside of homework, students are given various extra credit opportunities. Students may be invited
to participate in the following:
- Museum Visits
- Video Presentations
- Theme based research papers
Additionally, in the weeks prior to the AP Exam, after-school slide review/study sessions will be held.
Attendance at these sessions is not mandatory but is highly recommended since they are meant to
increase exam success.
I will be available to students on a daily basis for extra help or questions. Students may come see me
at school during my prep period, or email me at your convenience. I want you to enjoy the course and
feel successful in your study of art history!
Assessment
Students are expected to take the College Board Advanced Placement Art History Exam in May.
-Tests will be structured to mimic the AP Exam format: a combination of multiple choice and timed short
and long essays based on images. Unit Tests will be given either at the end of a long chapter or a
combination of shorter chapters to mimic the AP exam plus slide identification.
-Quizzes are given to reinforce reading assignments, previous lectures, important contextual issues, and
specific content information.
-Daily grades are given for class and homework assignments to include graphic organizers, sketchbook
journals and reading assignments.
-Projects are assigned to reinforce course material and to engage the student in study of a subject or
theme in greater depth. These projects may include student-made timelines, oral presentations, video
projects, and research projects.
Make-Up Work
All assignments due during the student’s absence are due on his or her first day back in class. It is
the student’s responsibility to check for missed work. I will gladly handle any extenuating
circumstances on an individual basis. As the year progresses I will do my best to make information
and content covered in class available online for student make up as well as review.
Important to Remember
This is a college level class with extremely high standards and expectations. Attendance is critical.
Make a habit of reviewing notes daily, reading all assignments, and coming to class prepared and on
time.
Above all, the class is set up to help you succeed! I know that we will have a wonderful year together
and I look forward to sharing my love of art and art history with each of you.
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT:
Choose 2 out of 3 of the following assignments to complete. Assignment is due on the first day of
class in Fall 2015.
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT OPTION #1: Museum Research Paper
-spaced, use 12 point font, and have one inch margins
Visit a museum more than once. Spend some time looking over the collection. Carefully select three
pieces of art to write about from a personal perspective. Two should attract you strongly in a positive
way; the other one should have the opposite effect. In each case, I am interested in why you chose
what you did. It is a good idea to make notes or a list while you sit in front of the work of art. Do not
try to visit the museum, rush through a collection, and write a paper from memory all in one visit. Your
result will be less than satisfactory. After you have put together your personal responses to the
artworks in question, you should do some research into the works themselves and the artists who
created them (if known). In some cases, you may have to rely on researching broad styles, time
periods or locations. Try to find visuals (postcards or downloaded pictures) of your chosen works to
attach to your paper. If there is not visual, take a picture of your own with your camera or cell phone.
Check to make sure you may photograph the work you have selected to avoid problems with
museum docents. Make sure you know the artist, title, and date for the works you choose. Local museums options Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum – Ridgefield, CT
Yale University Art Gallery – New Haven, CT
Bruce Museum of Arts and Science – Greenwich, CT
Housatonic Museum of Art – Bridgeport, CT
And of course, the many wonderful museums such as MoMa, Met, Guggenheim etc, if you have the
opportunity to venture into New York City this summer 
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT OPTION #2: Document Based Question
A document based question is an essay question that requires you to analyze a work of art by
referencing a supporting document (this may be a statement written by the artist, something a
historian wrote about the work of art, etc.).
Assignment
and finding a
credible supporting document to use in your analysis of the work.
-spaced, 1” margins, 12pt font
include the excerpt from your chosen text (including the source – Wikipedia is not an
acceptable DBQ source) and the full title of the artwork you have chosen
image of the artwork below the question
In your paper, discuss the
connection between the artwork and the document – use the document excerpt to help you
analyze the artwork. Use the sample questions as inspiration. As you can see, some of the
questions focus on a specific aspect of a work, not just the work overall-- or it may be an artist
overall. Choose one work of art from these lists to use for your DBQ: South, East, and Southeast Asia
Great Stupa at Sanchi. Madhya Pradesh, India. Buddhist;
Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty. c. 300 B.C.E.– 100 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone on dome. Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China. Qin Dynasty. c. 221–209
B.C.E. Painted terra cotta. Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace. Kamakura Period, Japan. c. 1250–1300 C.E. Handscroll (ink and
color on paper). Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the
series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Katsushika Hokusai. 1830–1833 C.E. Polychrome
woodblock print; ink and color on paper. A Book from the Sky. Xu Bing. 1987–1991 C.E. Mixed-media installation.
Africa
Great Mosque of Djenné. Mali. Founded c. 1200 C.E.; rebuilt 1906–1907. Adobe. Power figure (Nkisi n’kondi). Kongo peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). c. late 19th
century C.E. Wood and metal. Reliquary figure (byeri). Fang peoples (southern Cameroon).
c. 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood.
Old Man’s Cloth. El Anatsui. 2003 C.E. Aluminum and copper wire.
West and Central Asia
Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine. Islamic, Umayyad. 691–692 C.E., with multiple renovations.
Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and
bronze dome.
Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh). Isfahan, Iran. Islamic, Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid and
Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 C.E.; additions and restorations in the 14th, 18th, and 20th centuries C.E.
Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama. Islamic; Persian, Il’Khanid. c.
1330–1340 C.E. Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper.
Rebellious Silence, from the Women of Allah series. Shirin Neshat (artist); photo by Cynthia Preston.
1994 C.E. Ink on photograph.
*AP Exam Sample Document Based Questions for your reference (taken from the 2011, 2012,
and 2013 past exams)
Document Based Question Example 1
During the last 50 years, many artists have addressed the relationship between technology and how
people experience the world. According to artist Nam June Paik, “Our life is half natural and half
technological.” Paik has also commented, “Skin has become inadequate in interfacing with reality.
Technology has become the body’s new membrane of existence.”
Select and clearly identify one work of art created after 1960 C.E. that addresses the relationship
between technology and how people experience the world. Your selection may be a work in video,
photography, or installation, as well as a work in any other medium. Making specific reference to both
Paik’s words and your selected work, analyze how your example addresses the relationship between
technology and how people experience the world.
Document Based Question Example 2
The work shown is Guernica by Pablo Picasso.
In the book Theories of Modern Art: A Source Book
by Artists and Critics, Picasso is quoted as making the following statement.
“What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who has only eyes if he’s a painter . . . ? On the contrary,
he’s at the same time a political being, constantly alive to heartrending, fiery, or happy events, to
which he responds in every way. . . . No, painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an
instrument of war for attack and defense against the enemy.”
Making specific reference to both the
quotation and the painting, analyze how Picasso expresses both emotional and political content in
Guernica.
Document Based Question Example 3
In the mid-fifth century B.C.E., a Greek sculptor wrote a treatise titled the Canon that was
summarized as follows.
Beauty consists in the proportions, not of the elements, but of the parts, that is to say, of finger to
finger, and of all the fingers to the palm and the wrist, and of these to the forearm, and of the forearm
to the upper arm, and of all the other parts to each other.
Identify the sculptor who wrote the Canon. Select and fully identify one work of art that reflects his
ideas. Making specific reference to both the text above and your selected work, analyze how the work
reflects those ideas.
SUMMER ASSIGNMENT OPTION #3: Concept Map
A Concept Map is a visual tool used to arrange a large amount of information. We will use concept
maps to compare and contrast two works of art (a contemporary work and a classical work) based on
several themes.
THEMES: War, History and Memory, Point-of-View, Narrative, Power
This is a visual concept map! Do the research and create a rough draft of how to organize the content
for each theme. Consider using a different color ink for each theme, making key words larger, bold, or
in a different font. Use arrows, imagery, pop-outs, etc. to creatively link the two works of art. Although
the text and content are key to the assignment, part of the challenge is to find a way to visually
organize it in a clear and interesting way.
The scoring guide will assess the following:
1. Analysis connects each work to its historical and cultural contexts.
2. Response addresses all key components related to the essential themes.
3. Points are supported with specific observations, not generalizations.
4. Concept map compares and contrasts the two works.
5. There is a balance between visual and written information.
6. Visual elements enhance the exposition and analysis.
7. Page layout design is clear and visually stimulating.
8. There is evidence that the student invested time, effort and thought in the assignment.
REQUIREMENTS
point-of-view, and narrative
page down the middle and analyze the two works separately)
e,
location)
the measurement of a half sheet of standard size poster board)
should be in MLA format EXAMPLE: Compare and
contrast Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, 1981-83 with Trajan’s
ColumnfromancientRome,dedicated112CE. Analyzehowbothworkssituatedoutdoorsaffectthe
viewing experience of the audience. Discuss the ways in which each artist approach the telling
of the story and a point-of-view to suggest the impact of a political or social ideology on human
society. Compare and contrast the two works based on the themes of war, history, memory,
point-of-view, and narrative. Examples of Concept Maps: