AS/A2 Art History

AS/A2 Art History
AS/A2

Art History is the history of visual culture, including painting, sculpture and architecture. You will explore the changes in artistic form and subject matter through the ages and see how these were affected by culture, religious belief, science and politics. You will acquire a wide understanding of the history of western culture and its expression in visual form.

Art comes from a unique combination of skill, feeling and an aspiration towards some higher goal. You will explore these links and discover how people throughout history gave expression to what they value most. You will explore and discuss images that reveal how people visualised their hopes about love, the afterlife, what they thought beautiful or heroic and how they portrayed evil. Art is often connected with status: of a family, a city or a ruler, so it is interesting to explore why a family like the Medici, a city like Venice or a ruler like Pope Julius II commissioned art.

Lessons are spent looking at, thinking about and discussing key works of art. We provide you with handouts which you will supplement with your own notes. You will need to do quite a lot of reading, especially from Gombrich's The Story of Art, and each half term you will write a major essay to pull together all you have learned. There is quite a lot of material to absorb and learn, and we will help you to develop your essay writing skills so that you are able to meet the demands of the examinations.

AS Course Content
The AS course comprises two modules:
1. Visual Analysis and Interpretation
This involves analysing examples of painting, sculpture and architecture, skills we will teach you throughout the course.
Assessment: one hour written examination
2. Themes in History of Art
This is a broad survey of art, but which emphasises Classical Greece, Renaissance Italy, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Surrealism, Abstraction and Pop Art.
Assessment: 1hour 30 minute written examination

A2 Course Content
The A2 course comprises a further two modules:
3. Art and Architecture in 17th Century Europe
We look at the paintings of Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Poussin and Velazquez, the sculpture of Bernini and the architecture of Bernini, Borromini and Inigo Jones. The development of the Baroque style and royal patronage will also be studied.
Assessment: 1hour 30 minute written examination%
4. Art and Architecture in 16th Century Europe
This covers Michelangelo, Raphael and Bramante in Rome, Giorgione, Titian and Paladdio in Venice, Bosch, Bruegel and Holbein in Northern Europe and El Greco in Spain. The impact of the Reformation will be a major consideration.
Assessment: 1hour 30 minute written examination

Is Art History for you?
You will enjoy and benefit from Art History if you are interested in how artistic expression has developed over the centuries, would like to explore how art has been affected by historical, social and political events and think you may want to study Fine Art in the future.

Art History and your future
History of Art is an academic subject (no painting or drawing is involved), and you do not need to have studied GCSE Art. History of Art is like History but uses paintings, sculptures and buildings as source documents. Like History it is an essay writing subject. The study of History of Art at this level can lead to further studies in Fine Art and a career in museums, galleries, auction houses, the heritage industry, publishing and education.

It also complements the study of English, History, Philosophy, Classical Civilisation etc. and is naturally very useful for anyone intending to follow a degree in Fine Art.

If you think you may want to study Art History at university, you should also consider taking a modern European language at least to AS level. A few universities ask for this as part of their entry requirements.

Visits and Vistors
There will be trips to Cambridge and London galleries and the opportunity to travel to Florence or Rome on the Art History trip.