Art Appreciation and Techniques

Topic outline

• Course Introduction
  

  Course Introduction

  This course is an exploration of visual art forms and their cultural connections for the student with little experience in the visual arts. It includes a brief study of art history, and in-depth studies of the elements, media, and methods used in creative thought and processes. In this course, you will learn how to develop a five-step system for understanding visual art in all forms, based on the following:

  1. Description: A work of art from an objective point of view – its physical attributes, and formal construction.
  2. Analysis: A detailed look at a work of art that combines physical attributes with subjective statements based on the viewer’s reaction to the work.
  3. Context: Historical, religious, or environmental information that surrounds a particular work of art and which helps to understand the work’s meaning.
  4. Meaning: A statement of the work’s content. A message or narrative expressed by the subject matter.
  5. Judgment: A critical point of view about a work of art concerning its aesthetic or cultural value.

  
  

  After completing this course, you will be able to interpret works of art based on this five-step system; explain the processes involved in artistic production; identify the political, social, cultural, and aesthetic issues that artists examine in their work; and explain the role and effect of the visual arts in societies, history, and world cultures.

  • Course Syllabus Page
  • External Art Resources Page

    Keep this list of links to great external art resources, collections, and libraries handy. Several activites throughout this course will ask you to find works of art at these links. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great online galleries out there. If you find another collection you like, please let us know about it, especially if it might help us fill a gap artistic styles that are represented here!

  • Course Terms of Use Page
• Unit 1: Definitions, Artistic Roles, and Visual Thinking
  

  Unit 1: Definitions, Artistic Roles, and Visual Thinking

  How would you define art? For many people, art is a tangible entity: a painting, sculpture, photograph, dance, poem, or play. Art is uniquely human and tied directly to culture. As an expressive medium, it allows us to experience joy, sorrow, confusion, and clarity. It gives voice to ideas and feelings, connects us to the past, reflects the present, and anticipates the future. Visual art is a rich and complex subject whose definition is in flux as the culture around it changes. This unit examines how art is defined, and the different ways it functions in societies and cultures.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 9 hours.

  • Unit 1 Learning Outcomes Page
• Introduction and Definitions
  

  Introduction and Definitions

  • Discussion Topic 1: Exposure to Art URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's Discourse forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!

    What has been your prior exposure to visual art? Has it been primarily from your family? School? Social activities? Personal explorations? Do you make art? If so, what kind? What is the medium you use? What kind of style is it? Who is your audience? If you haven’t made any art, have you ever wanted to? What kind?

    Note: You will need to create an account at discourse.saylor.org to participate in the forum. Signing up is free and only takes a moment.

  • Introduction and Definitions Page

    In this reading, you will be asked to consider how art is defined.
  • Discussion Topic 2: Defining Art URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's Discourse forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!

    Do you agree with the definition for ‘art’ as it’s explained in the reading above? Why or why not? Can you add to the definition? Is your definition coming from a subjective or objective perspective?
    

    Note: You will need to create an account at discourse.saylor.org to participate in the forum. Signing up is free and only takes a moment.

• 1.1 Form and Content
  

  1.1 Form and Content

  • Form and Content Page

    Understanding how to identify and think about the form and content of art is a basic first step to getting the most out of the experience of visual art. In this reading, you will learn what form and content are and why they are important.
• 1.2 Aesthetics
  

  1.2 Aesthetics

  • Aesthetics Page

    In this reading, you will learn how aesthetics relates to works of art.

• 1.3 Subjective and Objective Perspectives
  

  1.3 Subjective and Objective Perspectives

  • Subjective and Objective Perspectives Page

    This reading will help you differentiate between two ways of looking at art: subjectively and objectively.

• 1.4 Artistic Roles
  

  1.4 Artistic Roles

  • Artistic Roles Page

    This reading provides an overview of all the roles that art can perform in a society.

• 1.5 Artistic Categories
  

  1.5 Artistic Categories

  • Artistic Categories Page

    This reading examines the distinctions between fine art, pop art, and the decorative or "craft" arts.

• 1.6 Artistic Styles
  

  1.6 Artistic Styles

  • Artistic Styles Page

    The search for truth is not exclusive to representational art. From viewing many of the examples so far you can see how individual artists use different styles to communicate their ideas.
    

• 1.7 Cultural Styles
  

  1.7 Cultural Styles

  • Cultural Styles Page

    Art shapes and is shaped by cultural identity. Pay close attention to this subunit because the theme of art and identity is a recurring one in this course.
• 1.8 Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness
  

  1.8 Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness

  • Perception and Visual Awareness Page

    This reading, like the reading in subunit 1.7, introduces a major theme in this course: subjective versus objective analysis. An acute sense of visual awareness and perception is important for your understanding, interpretation, and enjoyment of art.

• Topic 12
  

  Topic 12
• Unit 2: Process and Training
  

  Unit 2: Process and Training

  This unit explores the artistic processes and the art industry: individual artists turning ideas into works of art, collaborative creative projects, public art, and the viewer.

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 9 hours.

  • Unit 2 Learning Outcomes Page
• Artistic Process Primer
  

  Artistic Process Primer

  • Discussion Topic 3: The Artistic Process URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!

    Who makes art? Do you think artists have innate ability or acquired skill (or both)? How do artist’s roles change with different cultural considerations? Support your answers with examples, and provide any links or images that help in your explanations.
    

    Please post your response in the course's discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates' posts.
    

    Note: You will need to create an account at discourse.saylor.org to participate in the forum. Signing up is free and only takes a moment.
    

• 2.1 The Artistic Process
  

  2.1 The Artistic Process

  • The Artistic Process Page

    Read this text as an introduction to the elements involved in creating a work of art.
    

• 2.2 The Individual Artist
  

  2.2 The Individual Artist

  • The Individual Artist Page

    Artists work in a variety of different ways. Read this section to get a sense of the individual differences in artists' style of work.
    

  • Discussion Topic 4: Art21 URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    View at least five short videos from Art21. You can search for artist’s names by alphabet at the top middle of Art21’s homepage. Watch how they work and what they say about their process. Then place one artist in each of the following categories:
    

    • List the artists you viewed.
      
    • Who surprised you the most?
      
    • Which artist was most concerned with the process of making the work?
      
    • Which artist was most concerned with creativity in the idea for their art or the work itself?
      
    • Which artist was most concerned with materials?
      

    Please post your response in the course's discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates' posts.
    

    Note: It is possible that these videos may only be viewable in the United States.

• 2.3 Artistic Training Methods
  

  2.3 Artistic Training Methods

  • Artistic Training Methods Page

    Read this text to understand the ways people have historically trained to become artists and how people become artists today.

• 2.4 Art as a Social Activity
  

  2.4 Art as a Social Activity

  • Art as a Social Activity Page

    Historically, many artworks were not created by one person, and art production in the contemporary world is also often the result of the work of groups of people. Read this section as an introduction to how artists collaborate with other artists as well as non-artists when producing works of art.
    

• Topic 19
  

  Topic 19
• Unit 3: How Art Speaks – Finding Meaning
  

  Unit 3: How Art Speaks – Finding Meaning

  Art, by its nature, asks questions and holds meaning. It explains ideas, uncovers truths, manifests what is beautiful, and tells stories. In this unit, we will begin to explore the meaning behind particular works of art within the context of various styles and cultures.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 16 hours.

  • Unit 3 Learning Outcomes Page
• Topic 21
  

  Topic 21
• 3.1 Introduction: Objective vs. Subjective Meaning
  

  3.1 Introduction: Objective vs. Subjective Meaning

  • How We See: Objective and Subjective Means Page

    Read this section as an introduction to the difference between objective and subjective watching.

• 3.2 The First Level of Meaning: Formal
  

  3.2 The First Level of Meaning: Formal

  • The First Level of Meaning: Formal Page

    After we see an object, we can understand its form: the physical attributes of size, shape and mass. With art, this may at first appear to be simple: we can separate out each artistic element and discover how it is used in the work. You had practice doing this in the last two units. The importance of a formal level of meaning is it allows us to look at any work of art from an objective view.
    

• 3.3 The Second Level of Meaning: Subject
  

  3.3 The Second Level of Meaning: Subject

  • The Second Level of Meaning: Subject Page

    There are specific categories of ideas that have been represented in art over time. Many of them are present in some cultures, but never present in others. This disparity gives us another place to look for meaning when we approach differences in representation.
    

• 3.4 The Third Level of Meaning: Context
  

  3.4 The Third Level of Meaning: Context

  • The Third Level of Meaning: Context Page

    This text highlights the importance of understanding the context in which art is made. Pay close attention, because context, as you will have already noticed, is an important theme in this course.

• 3.5 The Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography
  

  3.5 The Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography

  • The Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography Page

    At the simplest of levels, iconography is the containment of deeper meanings in simple representations. It makes use of symbolism to generate narrative, which in turn develops a work’s meaning.
    

• 3.6 Critical Perspectives
  

  3.6 Critical Perspectives

  • Critical Perspectives Page

    This reading discusses some of the most important perspectives in art criticism, including structural, deconstructive, formalist, ideological, psychoanalytical, and feminist.
• Topic 28
  

  Topic 28
• Unit 4: How Art Works – The Elements and Principles of Visual Language
  

  Unit 4: How Art Works – The Elements and Principles of Visual Language

  In this unit, you will begin to learn the terms that used to describe and analyze any work of art, and you will explore the principles of design – the means by which the elements in a work of art are arranged and orchestrated. Just as spoken language is based on phonemes, syntax, and semantics, visual art is based on elements and principles that, when used together, create works that communicate ideas and meaning to the viewer. We can think of them as the building blocks of an artwork’s composition – the organized layout of an image or object, according to the principles of design.
  

  Completing this unit should take approximately 16 hours.

  • Unit 4 Learning Outcomes Page
• 4.1 Artistic Elements
  

  4.1 Artistic Elements
• 4.1.1 The Point
  

  4.1.1 The Point

  • The Point Page

    Read this text about the most basic visual element: the point.

• 4.1.2 Definitions and Qualities of the Line
  

  4.1.2 Definitions and Qualities of the Line

  • Definitions and Qualities of the Line Page

    When you put two or more points together, you create a line. Put more lyrically, a line is a "point in motion." Read about the many different types of lines and their functions in art.

• 4.1.3 Shapes and Figure/Ground Relationships
  

  4.1.3 Shapes and Figure/Ground Relationships

  • Shapes and Figure/Ground Relationship Page

    Read this text, which defines what a shape is and how shapes are used to animate figure-ground relationships in artworks.

• 4.1.4 Mass
  

  4.1.4 Mass

  • Mass Page

    This text defines mass and its significance to two- and three-dimensional works of art.

• 4.1.5 Space and Perspective
  

  4.1.5 Space and Perspective

  • The Element of Space Page

    This section introduces the different kinds of space that artists represent in their works and the different perspectives they use when creating artworks.

• 4.1.6 Value
  

  4.1.6 Value

  • The Element of Value Page

    Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a shape in relation to another.

• 4.1.7 Color: Its Qualities and Combination
  

  4.1.7 Color: Its Qualities and Combination

  • The Element of Color Page

    In this reading you will discover the vast complexities of the artistic element of color.

• 4.1.8 Texture
  

  4.1.8 Texture

  • The Element of Texture Page

    Texture is the tactile sense we get from the surface of a shape or volume. Smooth, rough, velvety, prickly. These are all examples of texture.

• Artistic Elements Wrap-up
  

  Artistic Elements Wrap-up

  • Discussion Topic 5: Objective Description and Subjective Analysis URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's Discourse forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    Find two works of art from the sites listed below: the first one two-dimensional, the second three-dimensional. For each one, write four sentences describing the elements present in the work using the Formalist Method. This method describes what you see in a totally objective way. Do not refer to any subject matter. Remember, be objective in your descriptions. An example might be; “The work uses a majority of organic shapes”, or “It uses the complimentary colors yellow and violet for contrast”.

    Then, for each work, write one sentence that describes your subjective reaction. An example might be “The artwork has a chaotic feeling to it”, or “Looking at the work made me feel lonely.”

    This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great online galleries out there. If you find another collection you like, please let us know about it, especially if it might help us fill a gap artistic styles that are represented here!
    

    • ART 21: Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
      
    • Google Images: A comprehensive search engine for images
      
    • Artcyclopedia: Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
      
    • Mark Hardin's Artchive: Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
      
    • Art History Links: An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
      
    • Cities and Buildings Collection: Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
      
    • Web Gallery of Art: Good reference for lots of art history images
      
    • Saatchi Gallery, London: Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
      
    • The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC: Our national art museum
      
    • Seattle Art Museum
      
    • Museum of Modern Art New York: A treasure trove of modern art
      
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art: Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
      
    • Islamic art collection: An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
      
    • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: An extensive digital collection with text information
      
    • Currier Museum of Art: A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
      
    • Henry Art Gallery: The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
      
    • National Galleries of Scotland: Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
      
    • time periods
      
    • ARTstor: Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
      
    • CAMIO: 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
      
    • Smarthistory: Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
      
    • Tibetan Book of the Dead: Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
      
    • Day of the Dead Celebration: History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
      
    • Frank Gehry sketches: Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
      
    • African Art: Death and Rebirth: Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
      
    • Burke Museum: Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
      
    • All Together Now: A digital collaborative and interactive music project
      
    • AIDS Quilt Information Website
      
    • What is a Print?: Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
      
    • Edvard Munch Museum: Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
      
    • Nuxalk Sun Mask: Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
      
    • Bradshaw Foundation: Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
      
    • The Art Story: Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
      
    • Francis Bacon Estate: A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
      
    • Mayan Temples: An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico
      

• 4.2 The Principles of Design
  

  4.2 The Principles of Design

  • The Artistic Principles Page

    This subunit explores the artistic principles -- the means by which the elements in a work of art are arranged and orchestrated. They include:

    • Visual Balance
      
    • Repetition
      
    • Scale and Proportion
      
    • Emphasis
      
    • Time and Motion
      
    • Unity
      
    • Variety
      

• 4.2.1 Visual Balance
  

  4.2.1 Visual Balance

  • Balance Page

    Read this material to get a sense of visual balance in art, of which there are three kinds: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.

• 4.2.2 Repetition
  

  4.2.2 Repetition

  • Repetition Page

    Repetition has a dual role in art: It can be used to organize and plan artistic elements, and it can help to create interest and command attention.
• 4.2.3 Scale and Proportion
  

  4.2.3 Scale and Proportion

  • Scale and Proportion Page

    Like repetition, the element of scale and proportion is both a planning tool for artists and adds an attractiveness that commands the attention of the viewer.

• 4.2.4 Emphasis
  

  4.2.4 Emphasis

  • Emphasis Page

    The main idea of a work of art is often expressed through the artist's treatment of the element of emphasis.
• 4.2.5 Time and Motion
  

  4.2.5 Time and Motion

  • Time and Motion Page
• 4.2.6 Unity and Variety
  

  4.2.6 Unity and Variety

  • Unity and Variety Page

    Ultimately, a work of art is the strongest when it expresses an overall unity in composition and form, a visual sense that all the parts fit together; that the whole is greater than its parts. Read this section to learn more.
    

• Artistic Principles Wrap-up
  

  Artistic Principles Wrap-up

  • Discussion Topic 6: Objective Description of Artistic Principles URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    Find two works of art from the sites listed below: the first one two-dimensional, the second three-dimensional. For each one, write four sentences describing the artistic principles present in the work. Do not refer to any subject matter. Remember, be objective in your descriptions.  Be objective in your descriptions. An example might be; “The work makes an abundant use of pattern,” or “this work uses asymmetric balance in its composition”.

    Then, for each work, write one sentence that describes your subjective reaction. An example might be "The artwork has a dynamic feel to it" or "The scale in this work disorients me."

    Please post your response in the course’s discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates’ posts.
    

    This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great online galleries out there. If you find another collection you like, please let us know about it, especially if it might help us fill a gap artistic styles that are represented here!
    

    • ART 21: Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
      
    • Google Images: A comprehensive search engine for images
      
    • Artcyclopedia: Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
      
    • Mark Hardin's Artchive: Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
      
    • Art History Links: An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
      
    • Cities and Buildings Collection: Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
      
    • Web Gallery of Art: Good reference for lots of art history images
      
    • Saatchi Gallery, London: Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
      
    • The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC: Our national art museum
      
    • Seattle Art Museum
      
    • Museum of Modern Art New York: A treasure trove of modern art
      
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art: Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
      
    • Islamic art collection: An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
      
    • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: An extensive digital collection with text information
      
    • Currier Museum of Art: A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
      
    • Henry Art Gallery: The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
      
    • National Galleries of Scotland: Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
      
    • time periods
      
    • ARTstor: Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
      
    • CAMIO: 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
      
    • Smarthistory: Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
      
    • Tibetan Book of the Dead: Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
      
    • Day of the Dead Celebration: History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
      
    • Frank Gehry sketches: Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
      
    • African Art: Death and Rebirth: Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
      
    • Burke Museum: Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
      
    • All Together Now: A digital collaborative and interactive music project
      
    • AIDS Quilt Information Website
      
    • What is a Print?: Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
      
    • Edvard Munch Museum: Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
      
    • Nuxalk Sun Mask: Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
      
    • Bradshaw Foundation: Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
      
    • The Art Story: Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
      
    • Francis Bacon Estate: A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
      
    • Mayan Temples: An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico
      

• Unit 5: Artistic Media
  

  Unit 5: Artistic Media

  Artists find ways to express themselves with almost any resource available. It is a stamp of their creativity to make extraordinary images and objects from various, but somewhat ordinary, materials: Using charcoal, paper, thread, paint, ink – and even found objects such as leaves – artists continue to search for ways to construct and deliver their message. In this unit, we look at artworks created from two- and three-dimensional media and arts made using different types of cameras.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 24 hours.

  • Unit 5 Learning Outcomes Page
• 5.1 Two-Dimensional Media
  

  5.1 Two-Dimensional Media
• 5.1.1 Drawing
  

  5.1.1 Drawing

  • Drawing Page

    Drawing is the simplest, most efficient, and oldest way to communicate visual ideas.
• 5.1.2 Painting
  

  5.1.2 Painting

  • Painting Page

    When most people in western societies think of art, painting is probably the most immediate medium that comes to mind, but did you know there are actually six major individual painting mediums?
• 5.1.3 Printmaking
  

  5.1.3 Printmaking

  • Printmaking Page

    This text examines the three basic techniques of printmaking: relief, intaglio, and planar.
• 5.1.4 Collage
  

  5.1.4 Collage

  • Collage Page

    Read this text.

• Two-Dimensional Media Wrap-up
  

  Two-Dimensional Media Wrap-up

  • Discussion Topic 7: The Medium is the Message URL

    Marshall McLuhan’s quote that “the medium is the message” helps us understand the frontiers and limits of the tools we use. Artistic mediums are not only extensions of our creativity but avenues that help define changes in scale. For example, the introduction of painting extends by leaps and bounds what drawing could do. 

    Using the art resources links below, find one example of each two-dimensional medium discussed in this subunit: drawing, painting, printmaking and collage. Write a short summary of how the nature of each medium dictates the expression of the artist using it. In other words, what makes each medium unique, and how does it limit or expand what the artist is able to do with it?

    Art Resources

    • ART 21: Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
      
    • Google Images: A comprehensive search engine for images
      
    • Artcyclopedia: Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
      
    • Mark Hardin's Artchive: Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
      
    • Art History Links: An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
      
    • Cities and Buildings Collection: Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
      
    • Web Gallery of Art: Good reference for lots of art history images
      
    • Saatchi Gallery, London: Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
      
    • The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC: Our national art museum
      
    • Seattle Art Museum
      
    • Museum of Modern Art New York: A treasure trove of modern art
      
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art: Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
      
    • Islamic art collection: An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
      
    • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: An extensive digital collection with text information
      
    • Currier Museum of Art: A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
      
    • Henry Art Gallery: The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
      
    • National Galleries of Scotland: Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
      
    • time periods
      
    • ARTstor: Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
      
    • CAMIO: 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
      
    • Smarthistory: Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
      
    • Tibetan Book of the Dead: Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
      
    • Day of the Dead Celebration: History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
      
    • Frank Gehry sketches: Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
      
    • African Art: Death and Rebirth: Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
      
    • Burke Museum: Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
      
    • All Together Now: A digital collaborative and interactive music project
      
    • AIDS Quilt Information Website
      
    • What is a Print?: Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
      
    • Edvard Munch Museum: Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
      
    • Nuxalk Sun Mask: Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
      
    • Bradshaw Foundation: Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
      
    • The Art Story: Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
      
    • Francis Bacon Estate: A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
      
    • Mayan Temples: An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico

    
    
    

• 5.2 The Camera
  

  5.2 The Camera

  • Discussion Topic 8: Here a Photo, There a Photo, Everywhere a Photo! URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    Visual information is the key in making social networking so popular. From digital cameras to Blackberries and iPhones, taking pictures has become an everyday experience for most of us. Respond to the following questions. 

    • How often do you take pictures? 
      
    • What device do you usually use to take them? 
      
    • How much attention do you devote to composition, lighting or arrangement in your pictures? 
      
    • How do you use the images? 
      
    • How do you think you can improve your photos?
      

    Please post your response in the course’s discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates’ posts.
    

• 5.2.1 Early Development
  

  5.2.1 Early Development

  • Early Development Page

    This reading offers a fascinating history of the development of the camera.

• 5.2.2 Photography’s Impact on Traditional Media
  

  5.2.2 Photography’s Impact on Traditional Media

  • Impact on Other Media Page

    Read this section to get a sense of how the advent of photography caused a realignment in the use of other two-dimensional media.

• 5.2.3 Issues of Form and Content
  

  5.2.3 Issues of Form and Content

  • Form and Content Page

    Photographers must consider form and content as much as artists of other mediums do. Read on to learn more.

• 5.2.4 Darkroom Processes
  

  5.2.4 Darkroom Processes

  • Darkroom Processes Page

    This section discusses the difficulties inherent in photography and delicate processes that occur in the darkroom.

• 5.2.5 The Human Element
  

  5.2.5 The Human Element

  • The Human Element Page

    Perhaps due to its ability to recreate images as the human eye would see them, the human element is an enduring central theme in photography.

• 5.2.6 Color Images
  

  5.2.6 Color Images

  • Color Images Page

    The use of color film changed the field of photography, which had been primarily black and white before 1935.

• 5.2.7 Photojournalism
  

  5.2.7 Photojournalism

  • Photojournalism Page

    Because it enables artists to replicate and reproduce copies of reality, photography marries naturally with reporting on human activies via photojournalism.

• 5.2.8 Modern Developments
  

  5.2.8 Modern Developments

  • Modern Developments Page

    Camera technology is changing at a rapid pace. Barely three generations after Edwin Land invited the instant camera in 1947, smartphone companies began putting a camera (and sometimes even two!) in cell phones.
• 5.2.9 Time-based Media: Motion Pictures, Video, and Digital
  

  5.2.9 Time-based Media: Motion Pictures, Video, and Digital

  • Time-based Media: Film, Video, and Digital Page

    This text serves as an introduction to film and video art, as well as to give you an understanding about the impact computers and digital technology has had on the visual arts.

  • Discussion Topic 9: Film Study URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discourse forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    The film industry is a major part of the economy and, like other artistic mediums, it both reflects and anticipates the culture surrounding it, although Hollywood arguably has a culture all its own. Now, independent films (those made outside of the big Hollywood studios) are having a larger effect on audiences because they can examine themes and ideas beyond what the big studios decide to finance.

    Respond to the following questions:

    • How often do you see a film? 
      
    • Do you view films in a theatre or on other digital media? 
      
    • What kind of films do you like; human interest stories, action films, romances, fantasy or animation? 
      
    • What are your thoughts on film’s role to entertain and inform? 
      
    • What is your favorite film? Why?  
      

    Please post your response in the course’s discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates’ posts.
    

• Topic 65
  

  Topic 65
• 5.3 Three-Dimensional Media
  

  5.3 Three-Dimensional Media
• 5.3.1 Definitions and Processes
  

  5.3.1 Definitions and Processes

  • Definitions, Processes, and Sculptures Page

    Three-dimensional art is so much more than sculpture. This reading provides an overview for this subunit.

• 5.3.2 Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media: Freestanding and Relief
  

  5.3.2 Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media: Freestanding and Relief

  • Types of Sculpture and Three-dimensional Media Page

    Read this section.
• 5.3.3 Methods
  

  5.3.3 Methods

  • Methods Page

    This reading details the major methods involved in creating three-dimensional art, namely carving, casting, modeling, and construction, which is sometimes also called assemblage.

• 5.3.4 Modern Variations of Three-Dimensional Media
  

  5.3.4 Modern Variations of Three-Dimensional Media

  • Modern Variations of Three-Dimensional Media Page

    Installation art and performance art are variations on three-dimensional art.

• 5.3.5 Decorative Arts
  

  5.3.5 Decorative Arts

  • Decorative Arts Page

    The final kind of three-dimensional art we will examine in this is decorative art. Reflect on how decorative art is different from the other kinds of two- and three-dimensional art we have learned about so far in this course.

• Three-Dimensional Media Wrap-up
  

  Three-Dimensional Media Wrap-up

  • Discussion Topic 10: Form and Content URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!
    

    For thousands of years sculpture has (literally) been the bedrock of three-dimensional art. Carved from stone or wood, or cast in bronze, so often figurative and, from a western cultural perspective, in a realistic style.

    The advent of modern art in the first half of the twentieth century has radically changed the formal characteristics of sculpture and, in some cases, the content. View the three sculptures from the links provided below and comment on the issues of form and content in each one.

    • Egyptian Sculpture
      
    • Picasso’s 'Woman in the Garden'
      
    • Louise Bourgeois: 'Cell: Eyes and Mirrors'
      

    Please post your response in the course’s discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates’ posts.

• Unit 6: Architecture
  

  Unit 6: Architecture

  This unit explores architecture, its history, and its relation to visual art. Architecture is the art and science of designing structures and spaces for human use. Architectural design is an artform realized through considerations of spatial design and aesthetics. Related to sculpture, architecture creates three-dimensional objects that occupy a given space and create a visual relationship with the area surrounding them.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 16 hours.

  • Unit 6 Learning Outcomes Page
• 6.1 What is Architecture?
  

  6.1 What is Architecture?

  • Introduction Page

    Architecture is the art and science of designing structures and spaces for human use. Architectural design in itself is an art form realized through considerations of spatial design and aesthetics. 
    

• 6.2 Traditional Methods and Materials
  

  6.2 Traditional Methods and Materials

  • Methods and Materials Page

    People have been manipulating architecture to create expressive dwelling-places since prehistory. Read this text as an introduction to the traditional architectural methods and materials.

• 6.3 Architecture in China and the Far East
  

  6.3 Architecture in China and the Far East

  • Architecture in China and the Far East Page

    This text serves as an introduction to Chinese and East Asian architecture.

• 6.4 Cross-Cultural Influences
  

  6.4 Cross-Cultural Influences

  • Cross-Cultural Influences on Architecture Page

    This reading contains several examples of how the movement and interations of peoples of different cultures has affected architecture.

• 6.5 Architecture and the Industrial Revolution
  

  6.5 Architecture and the Industrial Revolution

  • Architecture and the Industrial Revolution Page

    The Industrial Revolutions brought a new set of needs, and a new set of capabilities, for architecture and infrastructure.

• 6.6 Modern Architecture: A New Language
  

  6.6 Modern Architecture: A New Language

  • Modern Architecture: A New Language Page

    Please take your time processing the concepts discussed in this reading.
• 6.7 Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture
  

  6.7 Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture

  • Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture Page

    Read this introduction to the current movements in architecture today.

• 6.8 Green Architecture
  

  6.8 Green Architecture

  • Green Architecture Page

    Green architecture incorporates ecologically and environmentally sustainable practices into site preparation, materials, energy use, and waste systems. Click to read on.

  • Discussion Topic 11: Gone Green URL

    Using the art resources linked below and any other sources you find appropriate, research and explain three examples of sustainable technologies and ‘green’ architecture. These could include anything from energy production sources to architectural design and engineering or urban planning models.

    What are your reactions to these examples? What is the context surrounding them? For example, how will they be used? What are the costs involved? Will they replace or interact with existing designs? Do you think they are good alternatives to traditional design?

    Include images or links for each of your examples, and be sure to cite all your research sources used for the worksheet.

    Art Resources:

    • ART 21: Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
      
    • Google Images: A comprehensive search engine for images
      
    • Artcyclopedia: Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
      
    • Mark Hardin's Artchive: Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
      
    • Art History Links: An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
      
    • Cities and Buildings Collection: Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
      
    • Web Gallery of Art: Good reference for lots of art history images
      
    • Saatchi Gallery, London: Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
      
    • The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC: Our national art museum
      
    • Seattle Art Museum
      
    • Museum of Modern Art New York: A treasure trove of modern art
      
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art: Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
      
    • Islamic art collection: An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
      
    • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: An extensive digital collection with text information
      
    • Currier Museum of Art: A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
      
    • Henry Art Gallery: The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
      
    • National Galleries of Scotland: Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
      
    • time periods
      
    • ARTstor: Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
      
    • CAMIO: 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
      
    • Smarthistory: Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
      
    • Tibetan Book of the Dead: Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
      
    • Day of the Dead Celebration: History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
      
    • Frank Gehry sketches: Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
      
    • African Art: Death and Rebirth: Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
      
    • Burke Museum: Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
      
    • All Together Now: A digital collaborative and interactive music project
      
    • AIDS Quilt Information Website
      
    • What is a Print?: Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
      
    • Edvard Munch Museum: Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
      
    • Nuxalk Sun Mask: Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
      
    • Bradshaw Foundation: Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
      
    • The Art Story: Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
      
    • Francis Bacon Estate: A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
      
    • Mayan Temples: An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico

    
    

• Topic 82
  

  Topic 82
• Unit 7: Our World – Nature, the Body, Identity, Sexuality, Politics, and Power
  

  Unit 7: Our World – Nature, the Body, Identity, Sexuality, Politics, and Power

  In this unit, we will look at how artists express and interpret our world. If nothing else, visual art provides an avenue for self-expression. As a primary source, artists express attitudes, feelings, and sentiments about environments through personal experiences, social interaction, and relationships with the natural world. In short, art helps us perceive and react to our place in the world. In Unit 1, we referred to description as one of many roles art takes on, but this description is often imbued with the artist’s subjective interpretation. In this unit, we will examine how art operates as a vehicle for human expression – a kind of collective visual metaphor that helps to define who we are.
  

  Completing this unit should take approximately 28 hours.

  • Unit 7 Learning Outcomes Page
• 7.1 Identity
  

  7.1 Identity

  • Identity Page

    If nothing else, visual art provides an avenue for expression. As a primary source, artists express attitudes, feelings, and sentiments aboutthe world around us through personal experiences, social internation, and our interaction with the natural world. In this unit, we will focus on art and identity, which has been a central discussion in this course.

• 7.2 Self-Portraits
  

  7.2 Self-Portraits

  • Self-Portraits Page

    Self-portraits indicate the artist's inward gaze. Click the link to read on.

• 7.3 The Natural World
  

  7.3 The Natural World

  • Nature Page

    Read this text as an introduction to how the natural world has been a source of inspiration to artists throughout time.

• 7.4 Social and Collaborative Art
  

  7.4 Social and Collaborative Art

  • Social and Collaborative Art Page

    This text describes two things: the role art can play in a society and, related, several examples of how artists work collaboratively.

• 7.5 Politics, Conflict, and War
  

  7.5 Politics, Conflict, and War

  • Politics, Conflict, and War Page

    The experiences of politics, conflict and war have been represented in works of art for thousands of years. They become documents, signifiers and symbols for power, remembrance, culture and national pride.
    

• 7.6 Memorials
  

  7.6 Memorials

  • Memorials Page

    The aftermath of war gives rise to memorials as vessels of remembrance for those who died. They are literally touchstones for families, friends, communities and entire nations to grieve. As works of art they provide a public space of honor and resolve to never forget the lives and sacrifices made by those who go to war.
    

• 7.7 Peace
  

  7.7 Peace

  • Peace Page

    Like so many other things we experience in our world that translate into art, those that engender ideas of peace and tranquility take many different forms. View some excellent examples in the reading below.
    

• Unit 8: Other Worlds – Mortality, the Spirit, and Fantasy
  

  Unit 8: Other Worlds – Mortality, the Spirit, and Fantasy

  Humans use art to capture ideas about worlds outside our own. Art is often a vehicle for myth: how we understand and explain concepts of a spirit world. Cultures use iconography to symbolize abstract ideas like dreams, love, power, and emotion, and societies call on the artist to create them. Art also plays a significant role in ritual and ceremony. In this unit, we will learn how human thought, belief, and imagination are materialized through art.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.

  • Unit 8 Learning Outcomes Page
• 8.1 Myths
  

  8.1 Myths

  • Myths Page

    This text discusses examples of art that represent mythic figures and mythological stories.

• 8.2 Dreams
  

  8.2 Dreams

  • Dreams Page

    The influence of dreams in art is significant. Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is an example in classical literature. Dreams provide creative subject matter for visual artists, too, and play an additional role in art through ceremony and ritual.

• 8.3 Spirituality
  

  8.3 Spirituality

  • Spirituality Page

    The art historical record is filled with works from many cultures that refer directly to spirituality. The images in this subunit are examples that help us understand how this connection is made.
    

  • Discussion Topic 12: Art and the Spirit URL

    Reflect on the following discussion prompt. If you wish, please post your thoughts on Saylor's discussion forum. Leave a reply to your classmates' posts as well!

    Using the art resources linked below, find a work of art from a culture other than your own that represents a form of spirituality. Explain why you chose the work you did, and how it represents the spirit. You will need to understand the context in which the artwork was made and how it is used within the culture.
    

    This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great online galleries out there. If you find another collection you like, please let us know about it, especially if it might help us fill a gap artistic styles that are represented here!

    • ART 21: Includes interviews with major contemporary artists, studio visits and explanations of their work
      
    • Google Images: A comprehensive search engine for images
      
    • Artcyclopedia: Good general art site, mostly image links to museums:
      
    • Mark Hardin's Artchive: Great link with alphabetical listing of artists, mostly contemporary and historical European
      
    • Art History Links: An amazing collection of links specific to sites related to the practice of art history, many are written, not visual, information
      
    • Cities and Buildings Collection: Over 5000 architectural images maintained by the architecture department at the University of Washington
      
    • Web Gallery of Art: Good reference for lots of art history images
      
    • Saatchi Gallery, London: Cutting edge contemporary art, plus a site where any artist can post their work
      
    • The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC: Our national art museum
      
    • Seattle Art Museum
      
    • Museum of Modern Art New York: A treasure trove of modern art
      
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art: Extensive collection database from many cultures and time periods
      
    • Islamic art collection: An extensive collection of Islamic art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
      
    • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: An extensive digital collection with text information
      
    • Currier Museum of Art: A smaller museum in Manchester, NH with a fantastic collection, much of it online
      
    • Henry Art Gallery: The art repository of the University of Washington. An extensive image database and excellent search system
      
    • National Galleries of Scotland: Extensive collection of artwork from many cultures and
      
    • time periods
      
    • ARTstor: Nearly one million images here. For access to this site, please check with your campus library or public library
      
    • CAMIO: 95,000 images of all kinds. For access to this site, please check with your campus or public library
      
    • Smarthistory: Smarthistory.org is a free and open, not-for-profit, art history textbook. We use multimedia to deliver unscripted conversations between art historians about the history of art
      
    • Tibetan Book of the Dead: Literature and Artwork on Prayer, Ritual, and Meditation from the Religious Traditions of Tibet, India and Nepal. Special Collections Department at the University of Virginia Library
      
    • Day of the Dead Celebration: History and images from the Mexican “Dia de los Muertos” celebration.
      
    • Frank Gehry sketches: Initial sketches of building design ideas by architect Frank Gehry
      
    • African Art: Death and Rebirth: Sculpture images and text describing ritual beliefs from African cultures. Other themes included
      
    • Burke Museum: Artwork database from their ethnology collections. Administered through the University of Washington
      
    • All Together Now: A digital collaborative and interactive music project
      
    • AIDS Quilt Information Website
      
    • What is a Print?: Interactive tutorial on printmaking processes, with images. Created by the Museum of Modern Art, New York
      
    • Edvard Munch Museum: Image database for many of Munch’s paintings and prints
      
    • Nuxalk Sun Mask: Image and context for the Mask of the Sun from British Columbia Nuxalkculture
      
    • Bradshaw Foundation: Excellent source for images and information on prehistoric rock art, Cycladic figures, the Pyramids, ancient temples and geometric signs
      
    • The Art Story: Movements, Artists, Theory and the Progression of Art History
      
    • Francis Bacon Estate: A website devoted to the images and explanations of the important and idiosyncratic English painter
      
    • Mayan Temples: An excellent site for historical information about the Temples of Palenque in Mexico

    Please post your response in the course’s discussion forum, which is accessible via the link above. Leave a reply there and check back to see what some of your classmates have written. Feel free to leave comments on your classmates’ posts.

• Topic 95
  

  Topic 95
• Unit 9: Art in Time and Place – The Western World
  

  Unit 9: Art in Time and Place – The Western World

  The formal and stylistic aspects of artworks are often determined largely by the era and location in which they were created. In this unit, we will study art through its evolution in time and place in the Western world. You will develop the tools you need to identify the major formal and stylistic trends punctuating the timeline of Western art history. This approach will enable us to see the relationship between works of art and their specific social-historical contexts. This unit will also reveal a certain continuum that runs through Western art from Ancient Greece to modern times.
  

  Completing this unit should take you approximately 15 hours.

  • Unit 9 Learning Outcomes Page
• 9.1 Earliest Art: Cave Paintings
  

  9.1 Earliest Art: Cave Paintings

  • Smarthistory.org: "Prehistoric Art: Paleolithic Origins" Page
• 9.2 Art of the Ancient Near East and Egypt
  

  9.2 Art of the Ancient Near East and Egypt
• 9.2.1 Art of the Ancient Near East
  

  9.2.1 Art of the Ancient Near East

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Senta German's "Cuneiform and the Invention of Writing" Page
  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Senta German's "Sumerian Art" Page
  • Smarthistory.org: Dr Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Victory Stele of Naram-Sin" Page
  • Smarthistory.org: Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi Page
• 9.2.2 The Art of Ancient Egypt
  

  9.2.2 The Art of Ancient Egypt

  • The History of Ancient Egypt Page
  • Egyptian Art Page
  • Materials and Techniques Page
• 9.3 Art in Ancient Greece and Rome
  

  9.3 Art in Ancient Greece and Rome
• 9.3.1 Greece
  

  9.3.1 Greece

  • Ancient Greece (and Rome) Page
• 9.3.2 Geometric Vase
  

  9.3.2 Geometric Vase

  • Geometric Greek Krater Page
• 9.3.3 Kuros
  

  9.3.3 Kuros

  • New York Kouros Page
• 9.3.4 Polykleitos
  

  9.3.4 Polykleitos

  • Polykleitos, Doryphoros Page
• 9.3.5 Nike of Samothrace
  

  9.3.5 Nike of Samothrace

  • Nike of Samothrace Page
• 9.3.6 Rome
  

  9.3.6 Rome

  • Augustus of Primaporta Page
• 9.4 Art During the Middle Ages
  

  9.4 Art During the Middle Ages
• 9.4.1 Early Christian and Byzantine Art
  

  9.4.1 Early Christian and Byzantine Art

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Allen Farber's "Early Christian Art: An Introduction" Page

    Read this excellent introduction to art and early Christianity.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Allen Farber's "Early Christian Art and Architecture After Constantine" Page

    Read this article to grasp the importance of the legalization of Christianity by Constantine for the development of Christian art.

  • Smarthistory.org: "Byzantine Art: Justinian and His Attendants" Page

    Watch this video for a discussion of a mosaic in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. Make sure you understand that "Byzantine art" refers to art that bears the influence of the Byzantine Empire's Christian art style. Mosaic was one of the preferred mediums of Byzantine art. Reflect upon the formal qualities of this art form, asking why it might have been a medium of choice for Christianity in its early stages.
    

• 9.4.2 Barbarian Art
  

  9.4.2 Barbarian Art

  • Smarthistory.org: "Barbarian Art" Page

    Read this article to get a sense for the different populations of Europe during the Middle Ages and to gain an understanding of the meaning of the word "Barbarian."
    

  • Smarthistory.org: Rebecca Mir's "Fibulae" Page

    Read this article in order to get a better sense for the formal qualities associated with Barbarian art through examples of one of its common artistic objects: the brooch.
    

• 9.4.3 Ottonian Art
  

  9.4.3 Ottonian Art

  • Smarthistory.org: Victoria Vales' "Ottonian Art: St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim (1001-1031)" Page

    This article explores the cultural and artistic developments in the Saxon Empire. What forms remind you of Barbarian art and what forms remind you of Roman art? What historical background can help explain the varied elements of style present in Ottonian art and architecture?
    

• 9.4.4 Romanesque Art
  

  9.4.4 Romanesque Art

  • Smarthistory.org: Valerie Spanswick's "Romanesque" Page

    The name gives it away. Romanesque architecture is based on Roman architectural elements. The rounded roman arch is the literal basis for structures built in this style.

• 9.4.5 Gothic Art
  

  9.4.5 Gothic Art

  • Smarthistory.org: Victoria Valdes' "Gothic Art: Jamb Figures, Chartres" Page

    Read this text to understand the role that some forms of sculpture played in Gothic architecture.

  • Smarthistory.org: Valerie Spanswick's "English Gothic Architecture" Page

    Read this article in order to get a sense for the architectural innovations associated with the Gothic style of architecture. Note that many of the advances in building techniques that took place during the Gothic period were achieved with the goals of building higher structures and creating lighter interiors.
    

• 9.5 European Art from the Renaissance to the 19th Century
  

  9.5 European Art from the Renaissance to the 19th Century
• 9.5.1 The Renaissance
  

  9.5.1 The Renaissance

  • Smarthistory.org: "Cimabue's Trinita Madonna & Giotto's Ognissanti Madonna" Page

    Watch this video in order to get a sense for the new formal qualities that made their way into art during the transitional phase between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: "Florence in the Early Renaissance" Page

    Read this article to gain a better understanding of the intellectual climate associated with the Renaissance.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: "Masaccio's Holy Trinity" Page

    Masaccio's 'Holy Trinity' exemplifies the ideals of the Early Renaissance in Florence.

  • Smarthistory.org: "Masaccio, Holy Trinity, c. 1427" Page

    This video will reinforce the concepts in the reading about Masaccio's 'Holy Trinity' above.

  • Flanders Page

    Find a map on the Web of historical Europe, specifically, one that features Flanders, in order to aid your understanding of this reading.
  • Smarthistory.org: "Campin's Merode Altarpiece" Page

    Watch this video in order to get a sense for how the ideas and ideals of the Renaissance started taking shape in Northern art.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "High Renaissance" Page

    Read this introduction to the art of the High Renaissance.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Raphael's School of Athens" Page

    Raphael is one of the masters of the High Renaissance. Read on to find out more.

  • Smarthistory.org: "Da Vinci's The Last Supper" URL

    Read the above text and watch this video, which discusses Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper, an artwork often considered exemplary in terms of its expression of High Renaissance values.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: "Michelangelo's "David" URL

    Read this text for a description of the sculpture by Michelangelo, another master of the High Renaissance.

• 9.5.2 Baroque and Rococo Art
  

  9.5.2 Baroque and Rococo Art

  • Smarthistory.org: "1600-1700: The Baroque" Page

    Watch this video, which discusses and compares artworks from Protestant Holland and Catholic Flanders. Reflect and take notes upon how the differing religious contexts of these two regions affected the form and content of their art.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: "Baroque Art in Italy" Page

    This article explains the historical forces at play in the creation of the exuberant Baroque style in Italy during the 17th century.

  • Smarthistory.org: "Poussin's Landscape with Saint John and Rape of the Sabines" Page

    Watch this video to get a sense for the distinctive classicizing style of French art in the 17th century.

• 9.5.3 18th Century Art
  

  9.5.3 18th Century Art

  • Smarthistory.org "Fragonard's The Swing" Page

    Rococo is characterized by a light, erotic, exuberant style, which emerged in 18th century France.

  • Smarthistory.org: Beth Gersh-Nesic's "Neo-Classicism" Page

    In contrast to Rococo, Neoclassical art is stark, classicizing, and idealistic.

• 9.5.4 Romanticism
  

  9.5.4 Romanticism

  • Smarthistory.org: "Romanticism" Page

    Watch this video for a discussion of the Romantic style as it emerged in 19th-century Europe. Take note of the distinction between the Romantic style and the Neoclassical style.
    

• 9.6 Modern Art
  

  9.6 Modern Art
• 9.6.1 Change in the 19th Century
  

  9.6.1 Change in the 19th Century

  • Smarthistory.org: "1848-1907: Industrial Revolution II" Page

    This video discusses various art styles associated with the rapidly changing European societies of the second half of the 19th century. Take note of the innovations associated with Realist, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist art.

• 9.6.2 What Is Modernism in Art?
  

  9.6.2 What Is Modernism in Art?

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Parme Giuntini's "Becoming Modern" Page

    Read this article for an understanding of the forces that helped shape what we call "Modernism" as well as to get a sense for its characteristics.
    

• 9.6.3 Realism versus Academic Art
  

  9.6.3 Realism versus Academic Art

  • Smarthistory Blog: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "On Jean-Leon Gerome's 'Pygmalion and Galatea' at the Met" URL

    Read this blog post by two of the experts you have heard from in previous units. Understanding the artistic background of academic art will subsequently help you comprehend the break that modern artistic movements, such as realism, achieved.
  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Gersh-Nesic's "Realism" Page

    Read this article to get a sense of why, how, and when Realism emerged as an artistic movement.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Courbet's 'A Burial at Ornans'" Page

    Watch this video on an important Realist work by Courbet.

  • Smarthistory.org: "The Stonebreakers" Page

    Read this article to get a sense of why Realism is considered a socially conscious artistic movement.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Manet's 'Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (Luncheon on the Grass)'" Page

    After Courbet, Manet is historically the most significant Realist painter. Watch this video about one of his works.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker, and Dr. Beth Gersh-Nesic's "Édouard Manet's 'Olympia'" Page

    Watch this video and read the accompanying article. They discuss an important artwork by the Realist painter Manet. Take note of its modern characteristics, as well as how it was received by its contemporary audience.
    

• 9.6.4 Impressionism
  

  9.6.4 Impressionism

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Gersh-Nesic's "Impressionism" Page

    This article serves as an introduction to the movement that emerged after Realism: Impressionism.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Monet's Rouen Cathedral Series" Page

    Watch this video, which discusses a series of paintings, done by artist Claude Monet, that are good representatives of the Impressionist movement as a whole.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Renoir's 'Moulin de la Galette'" Page

    Watch this video about the significant Renoir painting. A still image of 'Moulin de la Galette' has been provided so that you may study the points made in the video more closely.
• 9.6.5 Post-Impressionism
  

  9.6.5 Post-Impressionism

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Post-Impressionism: Seurat's 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte - 1884' Page

    Watch this video, which discusses an artwork by Georges Seurat. What characteristics of 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte - 1884' can be considered reactions to Impressionism?

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Van Gogh's 'Portrait of Joseph Roulin' Page

    Take note of the discussion of structure and color in Van Gogh's 'Portrait of Joseph Roulin'

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Cézanne's 'Still Life with Apples'" Page

    Watch this video and read the accompanying text, both of which discuss an artwork by the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. Take note of Cézanne's relationship to older artistic traditions, how he at once reflected on visual traditions (including Impressionism) and innovated through form.
    

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "Gauguin's 'Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel)'" Page

    Watch this video, which discusses artwork by Post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. According to Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, how is Gauguin's use of color innovative?
    

• 9.6.6 The Early 20th Century
  

  9.6.6 The Early 20th Century

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker's "1907-1960 Age of Global Conflict" Page

    Watch this video as an overview of the subject of art in the 20th century.

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Virginia B. Spivey's "A Beginner's Guide to Fauvism" URL

    Please begin with Dr. Spivey's article on Fauvism (the first link) and then navigate through the site to read and/or watch the following material:

    • Watch the video on Kirchner's Dresden street-scene: "Kirchner, Street, Dresden"
    • Read the article "Kirchner, Self-Portrait as a Soldier"
    • Read the article "Inventing Cubism" and look at several of works by Picasso

  • Smarthistory.org: Emily Casden's "Italian Futurism: An Introduction" URL

    Please begin with Emily Casden's article on Futurism in Italy, then navigate to the video on Dada titled, "Art as a Concept: Duchamp, In advance of the Broken Arm." Then, be sure to check out several of the other articles and videos about Futurism and Dadaism in the context of World War I.

  • Khan Academy: "Art Between the Wars: The Avant-Garde and the Rise of Totalitarianism" URL

    On this page, please read and/or watch all the materials related to Surrealism, Latin American Modernism, and American Art to World War II.

• 9.6.7 World War II and Beyond
  

  9.6.7 World War II and Beyond

  • Smarthistory.org: Dr. Nausikaä El-Mecky's "Art in Nazi Germany" Page

    Read this article about the influence of Nazi Germany on the art historical record.

  • Khan Academy: "Abstract Expressionism and the New York School" URL

    Please read and watch the resources on this page about Abstract Expressionism and the New York School. 

  • Khan Academy: "Architecture" URL

    Read and watch all the material in this section, which covers architecture after World War II.

• Topic 127
  

  Topic 127
• Optional Course Evaluation Survey
  

  Optional Course Evaluation Survey

  • Optional Course Evaluation Survey URL

    Please take a few moments to provide some feedback about this course at the link below. Consider completing the survey whether you have completed the course, you are nearly at that point, or you have just come to study one unit or a few units of this course.

    Your feedback will focus our efforts to continually improve our course design, content, technology, and general ease-of-use. Additionally, your input will be considered alongside our consulting professors' evaluation of the course during its next round of peer review. As always, please report urgent course experience concerns to contact@saylor.org and/or our discussion forums.

• Topic 129
  

  Topic 129
• ARTH101 Images
  

  ARTH101 Images

  Not available