Introduction to Art History I: Ancient--Paleolithic to the Roman Empire (Flex)

Welcome to an introduction of the earliest arts known to man! During this course, students will learn basic artistic concepts and terminology through a discovery of the artistic processes of the ancient world. Students can expect to become familiar with basic art historical frameworks and terminology and major art pieces of the ancient world through lectures and hands-on assignments over six weeks of exploration.

PARENTS: This is a FLEX Class, meaning there are no weekly meetings. Each week contains two 30-45 minute prerecorded lectures for the students to access, a weekly group critical thinking discussion question in the classroom, and optional at home project that relates to the week's topic. Assignments are given for further individual exploration at home, but not required. Grading is optional. The course schedule is as follows:

Week 1: Introduction to Art History and Arts of the Paleolithic Period
During Week 1, we will begin with a brief overview of what art history actually is and how it formed as a discipline. We will also introduce major art terminology that we will use throughout the course. The last half of the lesson is dedicated to an introduction to art history through a discussion of major Paleolithic pieces that predate written history. This week's case study is Stonehenge, through which we will study early monumental architecture and its potential meanings. Students will learn about major sculptural types, including relief and sculpture in the round. Students will be asked to make their own examples of relief sculpture or cave art for homework! 

Week 2: The Arts of Mesopotamia
During Week 2, we will explore the many cultures of the Mesopotamian world! This week's lecture will focus on the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to static societies and how that impacted the type of arts being produced. Students can expect to learn about religious significance of Mesopotamian sculpture and temples, as well as the impact of the first codes of law through the Code of Hammurabi. This week's case study is the Babylonian Ishtar Gate, through which students will learn about the types of materials being used in Mesopotamia and the royal iconography of the Babylonian empire. For this week's class, students will be asked to read a brief summary on cuneiform and write their own names in this ancient alphabet for class! For homework, students will be asked to create their own cuneiform tablet with a secret message! 

Week 3: The Arts of Ancient Egypt
During Week 3, we travel to ancient Egypt to explore this mystical civilization. This week stuents can expect to learn about the early development of painting, the influence of papyrus scrolls, the development of sculpture, a shift in monumental architecture through the pyramids of Giza, and the role of funerary arts through mummification and the importance of sarcophagi. This week's case study is a lecture all on Egyptian afterlife practices, mummification, and King Tut!  For homework, students can write in hieroglyphics or research a tomb not discussed in class.

Week 4: The Arts of Ancient Greece (Part 1)
During Week 4, we begin our two part unit on Ancient Greece, moving through some of the earlier periods of the Greek world. This week we emphasize the abstracted forms of Cycladic sculpture, the mythos of Mycenean sculpture and the Mask of Agamemnon, the painted frescos of Crete, early Greek pottery of the Orientalizing period, and the basic developments of sculpture through the ARchaic period, which lasts through about 480 BCE. Each of these will emphasize a stage of development from previous cultures we have studied, emphasizing the artistic trajectory that is being traced over thousands of years. Further, for the second half of the course, we will begin discussing Greek architecture, focusing on the Parthenon as our case study. The Parthenon will help students discover basic traits of Greek architecture, like columns, friezes, and the Golden Ratio! Students will be asked to watch a video on Greek history in preparation for today's class! Students can create their own Greek pottery artwork or research artworks by early Greek civilizations and their connections to mythology for homework. 

Week 5: The Arts of Ancient Greece (Part 2)
During Week 5, we continue our analysis of artistic development in Greece primarily through sculpture!   Sculpture was one of the most important artistic methods of expression throughout the Mediterranean and today we will evaluate how sculpture developed through the Classical period and into the Hellenistic period of Greece, through 30 BCE. This week's case study will be the Nike of Samothrace, through which students will learn about the stylistic shift of the Hellenistic period towards more realistic representation, the importance of drapery and the depiction of clothing, and the archaeological history of Greek art through the unique story of the Nike. This course will end with a discussion of how Greece became absorbed by the Roman Empire Students will be asked to watch a video on Greek athletics in preparation for today's class. For homework, students will draw their own examples of Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Greek artwork based on the traits they have learned about! 

Week 6: The Arts of the Roman Republic and Empire
During our final week, students will be looking at the shift in artistic practices in the Roman period, particularly their struggle with bronze work and their unique taste in portraiture. This week's case study will look at the Equestrian Portrait of Marcus Aurelius as a way of evaluating a shift in stylistic tendencies in portraiture, emphasizing old age as a way of humanizing their Emperors. The close of this lesson will focus on how the rise of Christianity impacted the arts and we will look at Emperor Constantine as an example of how artistic practices and representation shifted with the rise of Christianity.