History of Art A Level

History of Art is an excellent option for any student who is interested in visual culture and the world around them. It stands as a marvellous complement to practical visual arts subjects but would be of equal interest to English, History, Media, and Sociology or Politics students. It is analytical in nature and is assessed by means of two written examination papers. Lessons are seminar-based and always involve discussion of themes or key works. You will be encouraged to undertake significant individual research via reference works, films, television programmes or some of the huge range of podcasts and resources available via the internet. Moreover, we will have many opportunities for visits to public galleries, museums and installations.

4 in English Language and 4 in English Literature.

History of Art is a fascinating course that offers the opportunity to explore our global cultural heritage. The course is built on three key elements: Visual Analysis; Themes and Periods. You begin with a course in visual literacy that acquaints you with the essential concepts, skills and vocabulary to analyse fine art, sculpture and architecture. Themes are broad-based investigations into artistic developments and connections between movements and periods across time and space. You explore works in relation to two of the three following themes: War, Nature and Identities. Finally, you focus on two artistic periods, for example, the Renaissance in Italy or Modernism in Europe and research in detail the relationships between key artists, concepts and their context. Throughout the course, you will learn how to analyse and make critical judgments about art while also building an understanding of the significance and contribution of key individual artists and the relationship between art, technology, society and politics across the entire world.