ap art history essay example

All Subjects

2024 AP Art History Exam Guide

12 min read • june 18, 2024

Your Guide to the 2025 AP Art History Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP Art History exam. This guide will continue to update with information about the 2025 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions. 

Format of the 2025 AP Art History Exam

Going into test day, this is the exam format to expect:

• There will be around 40 questions put together in sets of 3-6 that will be based around color images of works of art.
• There will also be around 40 individual questions centered around color images of works of art.
• Question 1 is a long essay focusing on comparison. You should spend ~35 minutes on this question.
• Question 2 is another long essay focusing on visual and contextual analysis. It is recommended you devote 25 minutes to this response.
• Question 3 focuses on describing using  visual analysis .
• Question 4 is based on describing using  contextual analysis .
• Question 5 focuses on  attribution .
• Question 6 is based on analyzing  continuity and change . 👉 Check out the 2023 AP Art History Free-Response Section posted on the College Board site.

Scoring Rubric for the AP Art History Exam

View an example set of questions and the corresponding  scoring guidelines from the College Board to get an idea of what they look for in your responses!

Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP Art History exam.

When is the 2025 AP Art History Exam and How do I Take it?

Tests will be taken in person at your school. Here is what we know from College Board so far:

• The exam date will be in-person and on paper at your school on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 8 am, your local time. You will have 3 hours to take the exam. We will have more updates from the College Board soon, but as of now this is what we know!

How Should I Prepare for the Exam?

• First, download the  AP Art History Cheatsheet PDF - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses!
• We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.
• Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized. 

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First, set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

AP Art History 2025 Study Plan

🗿 unit 1: global prehistory, 3000–500 bce, unit summary:.

The artists of the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods didn't have access to the same materials that we do nowadays, and instead used media, or materials, that were readily available, like natural pigments, stone, and bone. Also, people had very little time to create art before the specialization of labor, which is when people were assigned specific jobs and responsibilities. This makes the artistic works of this unit all the more impressive ( cue the round of applause 👏).

Definitely do this:

📚 Read these study guides:

• Unit 1 Overview: Global Prehistory, 30,000-500 BCE
• 1.1 Cultural Influences on Prehistoric Art 
• 1.2 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Prehistoric Art 
• 1.3 Theories and Interpretations of Prehistoric Art 
• 1.4 Unit 1 Required Works

If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

💻  Learn about the best prep books so you can start studying early:

• Best AP Art History Textbooks and Prep Books

🏛 Unit 2: Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE–300 CE

When people ask AP Art History students about their favorite work in the course, many of them say ones from this unit, and with good reason. The ancient Mediterranean is home to some of the most renowned artworks and historical sites of all time, like the Pyramids of Giza and the Colosseum . The people of this area also developed new artistic techniques that are used to this day, showing the influence of groups like the Mesopotamians , Greeks , and Romans on art throughout history.

Unit 2 Overview: Ancient Mediterranean, 3500-300 BCE

2.1 Cultural Contexts of Ancient Mediterranean Art 

2.2 Interactions Across Cultures in Ancient Mediterranean Art 

2.3 Purpose and Audience in Ancient Mediterranean Art 

2.4 Theories and Interpretations of Ancient Mediterranean Art 

2.5 Unit 2 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE-300 CE [Part 1]

Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE-300 CE [Part 2]

Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE-300 CE [Part 3]

Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE-300 CE [Part 4]

💻  It is never to early to want to prepare for the exam:

• How to Get a 5 in AP Art History

⛪️ Unit 3: Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200–1750 CE

Now that the Roman Empire and ancient civilizations of unit 2 have fallen (or at least settled down a little bit), we get to discover their respective countries and some new ones, too! This unit will go over the artistic movements of Europe from 200 to 1750 CE and explain how peoples' conversions to religions like Christianity and Islam and historical events influenced the art made there. Later in the unit, we'll also get to travel to European-conquered areas of the Americas and see how those traditions have syncretized with the continent's native artistic traditions. 

Unit 3 Overview: Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200-1750 CE

3.1 Cultural Contexts of Early European and Colonial American Art 

3.2 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Early European and Colonial American Art 

3.3 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Early European and Colonial American Art 

3.4 Purpose and Audience in Early European and Colonial American Art 

3.5 Theories and Interpretations of Early European and Colonial American Art 

3.6 Unit 3 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200-1750 CE [Part 1]

Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200-1750 CE [Part 2]

Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200-1750 CE [Part 3]

Early Europe and Colonial Americas, 200-1750 CE [Part 4]

⚔️ Unit 4: Later Europe and Americas, 1750–1980 CE

In this unit, we'll get to see how different historical events and social problems from 1750 to 1980 have influenced the art made in each period and how that has influenced the works that we see today. We'll also get to see artists in each movement break traditional rules by choosing to depict subjects that have never been painted before, create new techniques, use newly invented media, and expose issues that have historically not been acknowledged.

Unit 4 Overview: Later Europe and Americas, 1750-1980 CE

4.1 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Later European and American Art 

4.2 Purpose and Audience in Later European and American Art 

4.3 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Later European and American Art 

4.4 Theories and Interpretations of Later European and American Art 

4.5 Unit 4 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Later Europe and Americas, 1750-1980 CE [Part 1]

Later Europe and Americas, 1750-1980 CE [Part 2]

Later Europe and Americas, 1750-1980 CE [Part 3]

Cultural Interactions in Later European and American Art [Part 1]

Cultural Interactions in Later European and American Art [Part 2]

Purpose and Audience in Later European and American Art [Part 1]

Purpose and Audience in Later European and American Art [Part 2]

Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Later European and American Art

🌽 Unit 5: Indigenous Americas, 1000 BCE –1980 CE

We're going to move on to some of the cultures that weren't covered in that section. In unit 5, we'll be exploring works made by indigenous (native) American artists, both before and after European colonization (pre-Columbian and post-Columbian), and see how the region's distinctive cultures have influenced the art made there. As we go through this unit, be sure to make note of the similarities and differences that you see between these works and those made by mestizo (part indigenous, part European) artists in Unit 4.

Unit 5 Overview: Indigenous Americas, 1000 BCE-1980 CE

5.1 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Indigenous American Art 

5.2 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Indigenous American Art 

5.3 Purpose and Audience in Indigenous American Art

5.4 Theories and Interpretations of Indigenous American Art 

5.5 Unit 5 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Indigenous Americas, 1000 BCE-1980 CE [Part 1]

Indigenous Americas, 1000 BCE-1980 CE [Part 2]

⚱️ Unit 6: Africa, 1100–1980 CE

With more than 3,000 different ethnic groups and 2,100 languages spoken on the continent 🗣️, Africa is extremely ethnically diverse, and we can see this through its art. Unlike in Europe, where art styles vary by nation or region (Central Europe, Western Europe, etc.), African art can look completely different in neighboring villages because of religious, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic dissimilarities. 

Unit 6 Overview: Africa, 1100-1980 CE

6.1 Cultural Contexts of African Art 

6.2 Purpose and Audience in African Art 

6.3 Theories and Interpretations of African Art 

6.4 Unit 6 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Africa, 1100-1980 CE [Part 1]

Africa, 1100-1980 CE [Part 2]

🕌 Unit 7: West and Central Asia, 500 BCE–1980 CE

Unit 7 may be one of the shortest units in AP Art History at 11 required works, but it still packs a mighty punch. The works from West and Central Asia are incredibly diverse in media (materials used to create a work), function, and pretty much every other identifier, which is why so many AP Art History students enjoy this part of the course. 

• Unit 7 Overview: West and Central Asia, 500 BCE-1980 CE 
• 7.1 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in West and Central Asian Art 
• 7.2 Purpose and Audience in West and Central Asian Art 
• 7.3 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in West and Central Asian Art
• 7.4 Unit 7 Required Works 🛕  Unit 8: South, East, and Southeast Asia , 300 BCE–1980 CE

In unit 7, we learned about West and Central Asia, but now, we're going to move east to the areas that we haven't explored yet; welcome to South, East, and Southeast Asia! In this unit, you'll learn about the influence of different religions and philosophies on people's beliefs and how this translates to their artworks. We'll also learn more about cross-cultural interactions on the continent between Europeans and native groups, and how this led to artistic syncretism (fusion of different cultures).

• Unit 8 Overview: South, East, and Southeast Asia, 300 BCE-1980 CE 
• 8.1 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in South, East, and Southeast Asian Art 
• 8.2 India and Southeast Asia
• 8.3 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in South, East, and Southeast Asian Art 
• 8.5 Unit 8 Required Works

🐚 Unit 9: The Pacific, 700–1980 CE

Spread across approximately 25,000 islands, the Pacific region is one of the most expansive and remote places studied in AP Art History. Because of this unique characteristic, many of its people have not had contact with those living in nearby areas, keeping artistic styles to their islands of origin and not allowing for syncretism (the blending of elements from another region into native art). 

Unit 9 Overview: The Pacific, 700-1980 CE 

9.1 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Pacific Art 

9.2 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Pacific Art 

9.3 Theories and Interpretations of Pacific Art 

9.4 Unit 9 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Pacific Art

[ Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Pacific Art [Focus: Polynesia ] ]( https://youtu.be/EwMngz2o_Uo )

[ Theories and Interpretations of Pacific Art [Focus: Polynesia & Melanesia ] ]( https://youtu.be/b04yJiFNMxg )

🏢 Unit 10: Global Contemporary, 1980 CE to Present

This is the final unit of AP Art History ( cue the round of celebratory applause 👏  )! Unit 10 is a great way to finish off this course because its works are unlike any that we've seen previously with respect to theme, media (things used to make a work), and technique. Unfortunately, though, contemporary art (art made in the second half of the 20th or the 21st century) gets a bad rap from many viewers.

Unit 10 Overview: Global Contemporary, 1980 CE to Present 

10.1 Materials, Processes, and Techniques in Global Contemporary Art 

10.2 Purpose and Audience in Global Contemporary Art 

10.3 Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Global Contemporary Art -  coming soon

10.4 Theories and Interpretations of Global Contemporary Art 

10.5 Unit 10 Required Works 🎥Watch these videos from the College Board:

Purpose and Audience in Global Contemporary Art [Part 1]

Purpose and Audience in Global Contemporary Art [Part 2]

Purpose and Audience in Global Contemporary Art [Part 3]

Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Contemporary Art [Part 1]

Interactions Within and Across Cultures in Contemporary Art [Part 2]

💻  Use these Quizlet decks to help you study for the exam:  

• Best Quizlet Decks for AP Art History

Key Terms to Review ( 26 )

© 2024 fiveable inc. all rights reserved., ap® and sat® are trademarks registered by the college board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website..

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing Essays in Art History

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Art History Analysis – Formal Analysis and Stylistic Analysis

Typically in an art history class the main essay students will need to write for a final paper or for an exam is a formal or stylistic analysis.

A formal analysis is just what it sounds like – you need to analyze the form of the artwork. This includes the individual design elements – composition, color, line, texture, scale, contrast, etc. Questions to consider in a formal analysis is how do all these elements come together to create this work of art? Think of formal analysis in relation to literature – authors give descriptions of characters or places through the written word. How does an artist convey this same information?

Organize your information and focus on each feature before moving onto the text – it is not ideal to discuss color and jump from line to then in the conclusion discuss color again. First summarize the overall appearance of the work of art – is this a painting? Does the artist use only dark colors? Why heavy brushstrokes? etc and then discuss details of the object – this specific animal is gray, the sky is missing a moon, etc. Again, it is best to be organized and focused in your writing – if you discuss the animals and then the individuals and go back to the animals you run the risk of making your writing unorganized and hard to read. It is also ideal to discuss the focal of the piece – what is in the center? What stands out the most in the piece or takes up most of the composition?

A stylistic approach can be described as an indicator of unique characteristics that analyzes and uses the formal elements (2-D: Line, color, value, shape and 3-D all of those and mass).The point of style is to see all the commonalities in a person’s works, such as the use of paint and brush strokes in Van Gogh’s work. Style can distinguish an artist’s work from others and within their own timeline, geographical regions, etc.

Methods & Theories To Consider:

Expressionism

Instructuralism

Postmodernism

Social Art History

Biographical Approach

Poststructuralism

Museum Studies

Visual Cultural Studies

Stylistic Analysis Example:

The following is a brief stylistic analysis of two Greek statues, an example of how style has changed because of the “essence of the age.” Over the years, sculptures of women started off as being plain and fully clothed with no distinct features, to the beautiful Venus/Aphrodite figures most people recognize today. In the mid-seventh century to the early fifth, life-sized standing marble statues of young women, often elaborately dress in gaily painted garments were created known as korai. The earliest korai is a Naxian women to Artemis. The statue wears a tight-fitted, belted peplos, giving the body a very plain look. The earliest korai wore the simpler Dorian peplos, which was a heavy woolen garment. From about 530, most wear a thinner, more elaborate, and brightly painted Ionic linen and himation. A largely contrasting Greek statue to the korai is the Venus de Milo. The Venus from head to toe is six feet seven inches tall. Her hips suggest that she has had several children. Though her body shows to be heavy, she still seems to almost be weightless. Viewing the Venus de Milo, she changes from side to side. From her right side she seems almost like a pillar and her leg bears most of the weight. She seems be firmly planted into the earth, and since she is looking at the left, her big features such as her waist define her. The Venus de Milo had a band around her right bicep. She had earrings that were brutally stolen, ripping her ears away. Venus was noted for loving necklaces, so it is very possibly she would have had one. It is also possible she had a tiara and bracelets. Venus was normally defined as “golden,” so her hair would have been painted. Two statues in the same region, have throughout history, changed in their style.

Compare and Contrast Essay

Most introductory art history classes will ask students to write a compare and contrast essay about two pieces – examples include comparing and contrasting a medieval to a renaissance painting. It is always best to start with smaller comparisons between the two works of art such as the medium of the piece. Then the comparison can include attention to detail so use of color, subject matter, or iconography. Do the same for contrasting the two pieces – start small. After the foundation is set move on to the analysis and what these comparisons or contrasting material mean – ‘what is the bigger picture here?’ Consider why one artist would wish to show the same subject matter in a different way, how, when, etc are all questions to ask in the compare and contrast essay. If during an exam it would be best to quickly outline the points to make before tackling writing the essay.

Compare and Contrast Example:

Stele of Hammurabi from Susa (modern Shush, Iran), ca. 1792 – 1750 BCE, Basalt, height of stele approx. 7’ height of relief 28’

Stele, relief sculpture, Art as propaganda – Hammurabi shows that his law code is approved by the gods, depiction of land in background, Hammurabi on the same place of importance as the god, etc.

Top of this stele shows the relief image of Hammurabi receiving the law code from Shamash, god of justice, Code of Babylonian social law, only two figures shown, different area and time period, etc.

Stele of Naram-sin , Sippar Found at Susa c. 2220 - 2184 bce. Limestone, height 6'6"

Stele, relief sculpture, Example of propaganda because the ruler (like the Stele of Hammurabi) shows his power through divine authority, Naramsin is the main character due to his large size, depiction of land in background, etc.

Akkadian art, made of limestone, the stele commemorates a victory of Naramsin, multiple figures are shown specifically soldiers, different area and time period, etc.

Iconography

Regardless of what essay approach you take in class it is absolutely necessary to understand how to analyze the iconography of a work of art and to incorporate into your paper. Iconography is defined as subject matter, what the image means. For example, why do things such as a small dog in a painting in early Northern Renaissance paintings represent sexuality? Additionally, how can an individual perhaps identify these motifs that keep coming up?

The following is a list of symbols and their meaning in Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth (1743) that is a series of six paintings that show the story of marriage in Hogarth’s eyes.

• Man has pockets turned out symbolizing he has lost money and was recently in a fight by the state of his clothes.
• Lap dog shows loyalty but sniffs at woman’s hat in the husband’s pocket showing sexual exploits.
• Black dot on husband’s neck believed to be symbol of syphilis.
• Mantel full of ugly Chinese porcelain statues symbolizing that the couple has no class.
• Butler had to go pay bills, you can tell this by the distasteful look on his face and that his pockets are stuffed with bills and papers.
• Card game just finished up, women has directions to game under foot, shows her easily cheating nature.
• Paintings of saints line a wall of the background room, isolated from the living, shows the couple’s complete disregard to faith and religion.
• The dangers of sexual excess are underscored in the Hograth by placing Cupid among ruins, foreshadowing the inevitable ruin of the marriage.
• Eventually the series (other five paintings) shows that the woman has an affair, the men duel and die, the woman hangs herself and the father takes her ring off her finger symbolizing the one thing he could salvage from the marriage.

AP Art History Practice Tests

An overview of ap art history exam.

The AP Exam in Art History is a 3-hour test composed of an hour of multiple-choice, followed by a short break, and then 2 hours of free-response. The format is as follows:

SECTION I: MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS. 1 hour.

This section features 80 multiple-choice questions. Some of the questions have images accompanying them, some do not. All of the images on the exam will be in color. You may move freely throughout this section. It is wise to answer those questions that you do know immediately and go back to ponder those that might cause a problem.

There is no penalty for guessing! Every answer should be filled in. Nothing should be left blank. If you are told by the proctor that you only have a few minutes left, bubble in all the remaining answers.

This is extremely important because the multiple-choice questions account for 50 percent of the grade!

SECTION II: FREE-RESPONSE SECTION. 2 hours.

This section is composed of six free-response questions, most associated with illustrations. There are two 30-minute essays and four shorter essays that are timed at 15 minutes apiece.

The two 30-minute essays usually allow students to choose from a wide array of options spanning much of the course. More rarely, they address one or two periods. You are free to move among the essays; they are not individually timed. You can answer them in any order, but make sure you answer all of them. Even if you draw a complete blank, do the best you can to respond.

AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Tests

• AP Art History Practice Test 1: Prehistoric Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 2: Ancient Near Eastern Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 3: Egyptian Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 4: Greek Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 5: Etruscan Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 6: Roman Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 7: Late Antique Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 8: Byzantine Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 9: Islamic Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 10: Early Medieval Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 11: Romanesque Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 12: Gothic Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 13: Gothic Art in Italy
• AP Art History Practice Test 14: Renaissance in Northern Europe
• AP Art History Practice Test 15: Early Renaissance in Italy: Fifteenth Century
• AP Art History Practice Test 16: High Renaissance and Mannerism
• AP Art History Practice Test 17: Baroque Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 18: Art of New Spain: Spanish Colonies in the Americas
• AP Art History Practice Test 19: Rococo and Neoclassicism
• AP Art History Practice Test 20: Romanticism
• AP Art History Practice Test 21: Late-Ninteenth-Century Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 22: Early- and Mid-Twentieth-Century Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 23: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 24: Chinese and Korean Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 25: Japanese Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 26: Art of the Americas
• AP Art History Practice Test 27: African Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 28: Pacific Art
• AP Art History Practice Test 29: Contemporary Art
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 30
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 31
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 32
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 33
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 34
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 35
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 36
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 37
• AP Art History Practice Test 38
• AP Art History Practice Test 39
• AP Art History Practice Test 40
• AP Art History Practice Test 41
• AP Art History Practice Test 42
• AP Art History Practice Test 43
• AP Art History Practice Test 44
• AP Art History Practice Test 45
• AP Art History Practice Test 46
• AP Art History Practice Test 47
• AP Art History Practice Test 48
• AP Art History Practice Test 49
• AP Art History Practice Test 50
• AP Art History Practice Test 1
• AP Art History Practice Test 2
• AP Art History Practice Test 3
• AP Art History Practice Test 4
• AP Art History Practice Test 5
• AP Art History Practice Test 6
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 7
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 8
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 9
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 10
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 11
• AP Art History Multiple-Choice Practice Test 12

AP Art History Free-Response Practice Tests

• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 1: Prehistoric Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 2: Ancient Near Eastern Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 3: Egyptian Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 4: Greek Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 5: Etruscan Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 6: Roman Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 7: Late Antique Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 8: Byzantine Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 9: Islamic Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 10: Early Medieval Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 11: Romanesque Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 12: Gothic Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 13: Gothic Art in Italy
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 14: Renaissance in Northern Europe
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 15: Early Renaissance in Italy: Fifteenth Century
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 16: High Renaissance and Mannerism
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 17: Baroque Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 18: Art of New Spain: Spanish Colonies in the Americas
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 19: Rococo and Neoclassicism
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 20: Romanticism
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 21: Late-Ninteenth-Century Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 22: Early- and Mid-Twentieth-Century Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 23: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 24: Chinese and Korean Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 25: Japanese Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 26: Art of the Americas
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 27: African Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 28: Pacific Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 29: Contemporary Art
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 30
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 31
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 32
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 33
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 34
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 35
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 36
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 37
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 38
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 39
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 40
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 1
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 2
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 3
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 4
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 5
• AP Art History Free-Response Practice Test 6

Get the Reddit app

No matter what course you are taking, we are a community that helps students earn college credit!

How I got a 5 on AP Art History (self-studying)

When I was studying AP Art History, I didn't see any posts with a complete guide like I was looking for, so I thought that I would make one for anyone taking the class in the future. :D

Preface: I taught myself the art history curriculum about 1 month before the AP test, but in hindsight, I would have really given myself about 3 months (minimum) to walk in confidently to the exam. If you have more time, I would recommend being more thorough than I was. For anyone who procrastinated like me, though, this is for you.

Resources I used: Barron's AP Art History, Fleet's AP Art History , Quizlet, Past Exam Questions

1- Memorizing the 250 list: I personally memorized the artwork name, artist name (if applicable), material, and culture. I didn't memorize the years, I just kept a general timeline in my mind. (If I thought that an artwork was unlikely to appear on the AP test, sometimes I skipped over the artist's name too... which I would not recommend)

https://quizlet.com/89740523/ap-art-history-250-required-images-flash-cards/ I used this Quizlet, but I focused more on the attributions than the actual content. I did a little of this every day, even when I hadn't learned the artwork yet. I also used Quizlet to practice MCQ questions.

2- FLEET'S AP ART HISTORY these videos SAVED ME. It goes over (almost) every artwork, historical context, change + continuity, etc. I filled in the gaps w/ the Barron's AP Art History book. (If I had the time, I probably would have used both in conjunction, but I'm more of an auditory learner) These videos were the only reason I got a 5, I made sure to really process all the information she was saying. I didn't take notes, but if you had the time I recommend you write a google doc with information you'd like to remember.

3- Change + Continuity: I found this really helpful on my exam. Just memorizing maybe one or two main components of each movement/ culture. For example, I knew that a lot of the Greek Classical works followed Polykeitos' canon of proportion + contrapposto, which contrasted with the Greek Archaic period which focused on rigid frontality + often had the archaic smile.

4- Look at the past AP Art History rubrics . I don't know why this isn't talked about more. For every AP test I've taken, I read every response, rubric, and comment. I internalized what specific words the graders were looking for, and how specific I needed to be with my writing. Sometimes I would literally memorize parts of the rubric that I thought would be helpful. Most of the time, the accepted answers would be 100% easier than I expected them to be. I would recommend reading the prompt, and writing down a couple of bullet points for your answer. Then, compare them to the rubric. (I wrote a few full essays too, of course, for practice.)

5- This goes with #4. Figure out how to structure each kind of essay. There are 6 types in AP Art History. Go through the rubrics/ examples until you get a good grasp of each. Fleet's AP Art History also has tutorials on each.

6-Know basic art vocabulary. I didn't memorize much vocab, to be honest, just a few keywords. (contrapposto, tenebrism, flying buttresses, etc.) But one thing that really did help me was knowing words such as symmetry, balance, scale, proportion, etc. They seem really obvious, but knowing when to apply them helps.

More random study advice

These probably won't work for everyone lol, but sometimes I needed a break from the other study methods.

1- 250 list as vines : This video assigns a vine to every single work in the 250 list. I would watch this video every time I finished a unit or culture, and if I didn't understand the joke they were trying to make I would go back and study the artwork again. I did this again right before the AP test, and it definitely helped me remember a few random details about every work.

2-Random number generator: I would randomly choose an essay type, then generate a number (or two for comparison essays) that would correspond to an artwork (the numbers are in the Barron book or online). For example,

1: comparison

2: visual/ contextual (long)

3: contextual analysis

4: visual analysis

5: attribution

6: continuity + change

If I generated a 1, I would do a comparison essay. Then, I would generate two numbers from 1-250 For example #20 and #204. Then, I would have to figure out ways to compare the Temple of Amun-Re and the David Vases.

3- Actively review the artworks that you hate. I made a list of every artwork that I hated/ found difficult (mostly architecture) and forced myself to write mini-essays (about 1 paragraph) about each.

4- Khan Academy (?). People love Khan, but I honestly didn't (and didn't have enough time lol). I would try it out and see if it works for you. I did practice some MCQ questions on here from time to time.

MOST IMPORTANTLY : cut yourself some slack. The 250 list can seem daunting, and you may be tempted to memorize every single detail of every single work (which you definitely can, if you want), but this is absolutely not necessary. To be honest, for a quarter of the artworks, I barely knew just the name + the material. Find patterns in the curriculum, and use them to your advantage.

On the FRQs, just keep writing. Even if the information seems irrelevant, write down everything you can possibly think of (as time permits, of course) Don't know anything about the artwork they're asking you to describe? Guess. You can tell just by looking at the artwork that it's symmetrical, so write that down. GOOD LUCK!! :D

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

AP Art History Exam Tips

Pay close attention to the task verbs used in the free-response questions. Each one directs you to complete a specific type of response. Here are the task verbs you’ll see on the exam.

• Attribute : Identify the artist, culture, art-historical style, or object type of an unknown work of art.
• Describe : Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic or work of art.
• Explain : Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.
• Identify : Indicate or provide information about a work of art, including title or designation, artist, culture of origin, style, date or materials, without elaboration or explanation.
• Justify attribution : Provide rationale or justification for an attribution of an unknown work of art using specific visual and/or contextual evidence.

HIGH SCHOOL

• ACT Tutoring
• SAT Tutoring
• PSAT Tutoring
• ASPIRE Tutoring
• SHSAT Tutoring
• STAAR Tutoring

GRADUATE SCHOOL

• MCAT Tutoring
• GRE Tutoring
• LSAT Tutoring
• GMAT Tutoring
• AIMS Tutoring
• HSPT Tutoring
• ISAT Tutoring
• SSAT Tutoring

Search 50+ Tests

Loading Page

math tutoring

• Elementary Math
• Pre-Calculus
• Trigonometry

science tutoring

Foreign languages.

• Mandarin Chinese

elementary tutoring

• Computer Science

Search 350+ Subjects

• Video Overview
• Tutor Selection Process
• Online Tutoring
• Mobile Tutoring
• Instant Tutoring
• How We Operate
• Our Guarantee
• Impact of Tutoring
• Reviews & Testimonials
• About Varsity Tutors

FREE AP Art History Practice Tests

All ap art history resources, free ap art history diagnostic tests, ap art history diagnostic test 1, ap art history diagnostic test 2, ap art history diagnostic test 3, ap art history diagnostic test 4, ap art history diagnostic test 5, ap art history diagnostic test 6.

Thinking about taking AP Art History? Already in an AP Art History class and want to get a better sense of what you’ve signed up for? Nervous about how you will do on the AP Art History exam and looking for the best resources to use to prepare yourself? If any of these descriptions apply to you, you’ve found yourself in the right place. This guide will take a general look at the topics and structure of AP Art History classes, the formatting and structure of the AP Art History exam, and a great resource that you can use to shore-up your Art History knowledge by recognizing and filling gaps in your understanding of AP Art History material. By the time you’ve finished reading this guide, you’ll have all the information and resources that you need to be confident about tackling AP Art History! Like all AP courses, AP Art History is a college-level class that high schoolers can take to cover the same content as a college-level introductory art history course and potentially earn college credit for their work. AP Art History does not assume that a student has any background in art, but above-average performance in previous history, literature, and studio art classes may suggest that a student has the potential to be successful in AP Art History. AP Art History involves a good amount of memorization in that students must familiarize themselves with famous artists, works, schools, media and styles of art in both the European tradition and in other traditions; however, the goal of the class is more ambitious than basic fact retention: students learn to analyze works of art in detail in different historical contexts, drawing out the relationships that exist between different works and the way in which these works have influenced, and have been influenced by, different cultural phenomena. As far as how the class is organized, about 30% of the material covered concerns Ancient through Medieval art, including Ancient Greek, Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Romanesque, and Gothic art; about half of the class’s content pertains to Renaissance through Contemporary art, made from the fourteenth through the twenty-first centuries; and about 20% of class material covers art beyond European artistic traditions, focusing on the art of Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Near East, Oceania, and global Islamic traditions. Students who take AP Art History conclude the class by taking the AP Art History exam, a cumulative assessment of their knowledge and determines whether or not they will receive college credit for their AP Art History course. The AP Art History exam consists of two halves: the multiple-choice section and the free response section. The multiple-choice section consists of 115 multiple-choice questions that students are given one hour to answer. The multiple-choice section is divided into two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A contains about one-third of all the multiple-choice questions on the exam (approximately 39 questions), and these questions concern color images that are included in a test booklet. Part B contains the rest of the exam’s multiple-choice questions; these questions are not necessarily accompanied by images, but when they are, they are printed in black-and-white in the text booklet. The multiple-choice section accounts for 40% of a student’s exam grade; the other 60% of the student’s exam score is calculated from the essays they write for the free response section. Like the multiple-choice section, the free response section is also split into Parts A and B. Part A asks students to compose two “long essays,” for which they are given thirty minutes each. These two essays determine about 25% of an AP Art History exam score. Essay prompts address issues that are significant in art history and require students to reference example works of art that they have studied. Certain questions will prompt students to discuss works of art from beyond the European tradition. Students are required to include pertinent details, such as the works’ title, artist or culture of origin, time, period, and media, as well as to describe the work in detail; this description is particularly crucial in the case that the work has no title. It is important to note that because the AP Art History’s long essay question prompts concern the ways in which art interacts with culture, prehistoric works of art, such as Stonehenge, the Woman of Willendorf, and the Caves of Lascaux are not accepted by graders as appropriate examples, as the cultural contexts of these works cannot be determined. Section B of the AP Art History exam’s free response section consists of six short essay questions. Students are given an hour to compose their answers, which are worth 35% of the total AP Art History exam score. Each of these questions involves an image or a pair of images, and of the questions also or solely involves a primary source quotation. For this question, the student is expected to come up with an example work of art to discuss in his or her response. If you find yourself in need of the best free AP Art History resources, whether to review for your impending AP Art History exam or try to get a sense of what you’ll be learning in an AP Art History course you’ve signed up for, look no further than Varsity Tutors’ free AP Art History Practice Tests! Each AP Art History Practice Test consists of between ten and twelve problems; you can choose to use these Practice Tests to answer questions drawn from each of the topics covered in AP Art History, or focus on one particular topic. After you complete an AP Art History Practice Test, you will receive a detailed report of your performance in comparison to those of other test-takers. You can also see a detailed explanation of the reasoning that was used to determine the correct answer, so if you miss any questions, you can find out where you went wrong so you can avoid repeating an error. You can also take Full-Length AP Art History Practice Tests. These are comprehensive exercises that ask you questions spanning the full range of concepts you’ll be expected to know for the exam. You may want to kick off your review by taking one of the complete practice tests, as the insights you’ll receive can help you to build a custom AP Art History study plan. The results page for the free comprehensive online tests includes the same helpful information you get from the concept-specific practice tests, but can also help you focus your study sessions by showing you which topics you’ve got down pat, and the topics on which you’ll want to spend some time. After you brush up on your skills with the other Learning Tools, return to the Full-Length AP Art History Practice Tests to see how your knowledge level is progressing. With the knowledge of what you’re up against and Varsity Tutors’ variety of free AP Art History resources at your disposal, you can feel completely confident walking into AP Art History on the first day of class or walking into your AP Art History exam!

Free AP Art History Practice Tests

Practice tests by concept, 2d art practice test, 2d art beyond european artistic traditions practice test, 2d art in global islamic traditions practice test, analyzing 2d art in global islamic traditions practice test, answering other questions about 2d art in global islamic traditions practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of 2d art in global islamic traditions practice test, understanding terminology that describes 2d art in global islamic traditions practice test, 2d art of the americas practice test, answering other questions about 2d art of the americas practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of 2d art of the americas practice test, understanding terminology that describes 2d art of the americas practice test, asian 2d art practice test, analyzing asian 2d art practice test, answering other questions about asian 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of asian 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes asian 2d art practice test, near eastern 2d art practice test, analyzing near eastern 2d art practice test, answering other questions about near eastern 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of near eastern 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes near eastern 2d art practice test, ancient through medieval 2d art practice test, ancient grecian and roman 2d art practice test, answering other questions about ancient grecian and roman 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of ancient grecian and roman 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes ancient grecian and roman 2d art practice test, early christian, byzantine, and early medieval 2d art practice test, analyzing early christian, byzantine, and early medieval 2d art practice test, answering other questions about early christian, byzantine, and early medieval 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of early christian, byzantine, and early medieval 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes early christian, byzantine, and early medieval 2d art practice test, gothic 2d art practice test, answering other questions about gothic 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of gothic 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes gothic 2d art practice test, romanesque 2d art practice test, answering other questions about romanesque 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of romanesque 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes romanesque 2d art practice test, renaissance to contemporary 2d art practice test, fourteenth- through sixteenth-century 2d art practice test, analyzing fourteenth- through sixteenth-century 2d art practice test, answering other questions about fourteenth- through sixteenth-century 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of fourteenth- through sixteenth-century 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes fourteenth- through sixteenth-century 2d art practice test, nineteenth century 2d art practice test, analyzing nineteenth-century 2d art practice test, answering other questions about nineteenth-century 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of nineteenth-century 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes nineteenth-century 2d art practice test, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century 2d art practice test, analyzing seventeenth- and eighteenth-century 2d art practice test, answering other questions about seventeenth- and eighteenth-century 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes seventeenth- and eighteenth-century 2d art practice test, twentieth and twenty-first-century 2d art practice test, analyzing twentieth- and twenty-first-century 2d art practice test, answering other questions about twentieth-century 2d art practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of twentieth- and twenty-first-century 2d art practice test, understanding terminology that describes twentieth and twenty-first-century 2d art practice test, 3d art practice test, architecture practice test, ancient through medieval architecture practice test, ancient greek and roman architecture practice test, analyzing ancient greek and roman architecture practice test, answering other questions about ancient greek and roman architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of ancient greek and roman architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes ancient greek and roman architecture practice test, early christian, byzantine, and early medieval architecture practice test, analyzing early christian, byzantine, and early medieval architecture practice test, answering other questions about early christian, byzantine, and early medieval architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of early christian, byzantine, and early medieval architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes early christian, byzantine, and early medieval architecture practice test, gothic architecture practice test, analyzing gothic architecture practice test, answering other questions about gothic architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of gothic architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes gothic architecture practice test, romanesque architecture practice test, answering other questions about romanesque architecture practice test, architecture beyond european artistic traditions practice test, african architecture practice test, answering other questions about african architecture practice test, architecture in global islamic traditions practice test, analyzing architecture in global islamic traditions practice test, answering other questions about architecture in global islamic traditions practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of architecture in global islamic traditions practice test, understanding terminology that describes architecture in global islamic traditions practice test, architecture of the americas practice test, analyzing architecture of the americas practice test, answering other questions about architecture of the americas practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of architecture of the americas practice test, understanding terminology that describes architecture of the americas practice test, near eastern architecture practice test, answering other questions about near eastern architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of near eastern architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes near eastern architecture practice test, oceanian architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of oceanian architecture practice test, renaissance to contemporary architecture practice test, fourteenth- through sixteenth-century architecture practice test, analyzing fourteenth- through sixteenth-century architecture practice test, answering other questions about fourteenth- through sixteenth-century architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes fourteenth- through sixteenth-century architecture practice test, nineteenth-century architecture practice test, analyzing nineteenth-century architecture practice test, answering other questions about nineteenth-century architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of nineteenth-century architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes nineteenth-century architecture practice test, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture practice test, analyzing seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture practice test, answering other questions about seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture practice test, twentieth- and twenty-first-century architecture practice test, analyzing twentieth- and twenty-first-century architecture practice test, answering other questions about twentieth- and twenty-first-century architecture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of twentieth- and twenty-first-century architecture practice test, understanding terminology that describes twentieth- and twenty-first-century architecture practice test, sculpture practice test, ancient through medieval sculpture practice test, ancient grecian and roman sculpture practice test, analyzing ancient grecian and roman sculpture practice test, answering other questions about ancient grecian and roman sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of ancient grecian and roman sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes ancient grecian and roman sculpture practice test, early christian, byzantine, and early medieval sculpture practice test, analyzing early christian, byzantine, and early medieval sculpture practice test, answering other questions about early christian, byzantine, and early medieval sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes early christian, byzantine, and early medieval sculpture practice test, renaissance to contemporary sculpture practice test, fourteenth- through sixteenth-century sculpture practice test, analyzing fourteenth- through sixteenth-century sculpture practice test, answering other questions about fourteenth- through sixteenth-century sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of fourteenth- through sixteenth-century sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes fourteenth- through sixteenth-century sculpture practice test, nineteenth-century sculpture practice test, analyzing nineteenth-century sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of nineteenth-century sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes nineteenth-century sculpture practice test, seventeenth- and eighteenth century sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes seventeenth- and eighteenth-century sculpture practice test, twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculpture practice test, analyzing twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculpture practice test, answering other questions about twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculpture practice test, sculpture beyond european artistic traditions practice test, african sculpture practice test, analyzing african sculpture practice test, answering other questions about african sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes african sculpture practice test, asian sculpture practice test, analyzing asian sculpture practice test, answering other questions about asian sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of asian sculpture practice test, near eastern sculpture practice test, analyzing near eastern sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of near eastern sculpture practice test, understanding terminology that describes near eastern sculpture practice test, oceanian sculpture practice test, answering other questions about oceanian sculpture practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of oceanian sculpture practice test, sculpture of the americas practice test, answering other questions about sculpture of the americas practice test, identifying artists, works, or schools of sculpture of the americas practice test, understanding terminology that describes sculpture of the americas practice test.

AP Art History

Ap art history course and exam description.

This is the core document for this course.

Course Overview

AP Art History is an introductory college-level art history course. Students cultivate their understanding of art history through analyzing works of art and placing them in historical context as they explore concepts like culture and cultural interactions, theories and interpretations of art, the impact of materials, processes, and techniques on art and art making, and understanding purpose and audience in art historical analysis.

Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for this course. Unit guides clearly lay out the course content and skills and recommend sequencing and pacing for them throughout the year. The CED was updated in the summer of 2020 to include scoring guidelines for the example questions.

Course Resources

Ap art history course overview.

This resource provides a succinct description of the course and exam.

AP Art History Course and Exam Description Walk-Through

Learn more about the CED in this interactive walk-through.

AP Art History Course at a Glance

Excerpted from the AP Art History Course and Exam Description, the Course at a Glance document outlines the topics and skills covered in the AP Art History course, along with suggestions for sequencing.

AP Art History CED Errata Sheet

This document details the updates made to the course and exam description (CED) in September 2019. It includes printable copies of the updated pages, which can be used as replacement sheets in your CED binder. Note: It does not include the scoring guidelines, which were added to the online CED in the summer of 2020.

AP Art History CED Scoring Guidelines

This document details how each of the sample free-response questions in the course and exam description (CED) would be scored. This information is now in the online CED but was not included in the binders teachers received in 2019.

AP Art History 2019 CED Scoring Rubric: Visual/Contextual Analysis

This document features general scoring criteria that apply to Free-Response Question 2: Visual/Contextual Analysis, regardless of specific question prompt. This information is now in the online CED but was not included in the binders teachers received in 2019.

Course Content

Based on the Understanding by Design® (Wiggins and McTighe) model, this course framework provides a clear and detailed description of the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework specifies what students must know, be able to do, and understand, with a focus on the big ideas that encompass core principles, theories, and processes of the discipline. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students to understand representative works of art from diverse cultures, including placing these works in context and illuminating relationships among them.

The AP Art History framework is organized into 10 commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.

Art Historical Thinking Skills

The AP Art History framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills, called art historical thinking skills, that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like art historians.

AP and Higher Education

Higher education professionals play a key role in developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education section features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.

This chart  shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the  AP Credit Policy Search .

Meet the Art History Development Committee

The AP Program is unique in its reliance on Development Committees. These committees, made up of an equal number of college faculty and experienced secondary AP teachers from across the country, are essential to the preparation of AP course curricula and exams.

AP Art History Development Committee