As you review the content in this book and work toward earning that 5 on your AP Art History Exam, here are five things that you MUST know above everything else:
1
Learn to fully identify each object completely. Multiple-choice questions may ask you to know all the details about a work (for example: name of artist, if known; name of work; date; period or culture; medium and/or materials; location of architecture).
Examples:
• Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui), 180 B.C.E., painted silk; Chinese: Han Dynasty
• Ogata Korin, White and Red Plum Blossoms, 1710–1716, ink, watercolor, and gold leaf on paper; Japanese
• Templo Mayor (Main Temple), 1375–1520, stone, Tenochtitlán, Mexico City, Mexico; Mexica (Aztec)
2
Study works of art in context. It is important to know the names of the artists and the titles of the works, but it is required to know how these were meant to be seen and understood. You must know a given work’s context to understand how the work can be interpreted.
3
Study in-depth works that are important because of their location. Many of the works that are now required have significant locations, and it is wise to study how their location influences their design. This is often asked.
Examples:
• Lanzón Stone
• Smithson, Spiral Jetty
• Dome of the Rock
4
Learn vocabulary! Most of the multiple-choice questions require you to know the basic terms art historians use to discuss great works of art. This is particularly important when discussing ancient and medieval art. Study the vocabulary sections at the end of each chapter. The most common vocabulary terms include but are not limited to:
• Painting techniques (including pottery)
• Parts of architectural monuments (like ancient temples and medieval churches)
• Types of printmaking (etching, woodcut, engraving, etc.)
• Methods of sculpture (lost wax process, repoussé, etc.)
5
Select works that have cross-cultural connections. On the newly redesigned exam, many questions focus on the interconnections between cultures.
Examples:
• Works from New Spain that show indigenous American and Spanish influence
• European works that show a Japanese influence
• Islamic works that show an influence from Chinese sources