ap art history comparison essay

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Compare and contrast: preparing for an art history essay exam, acknowledgements:.

Courses in this area are hands-on courses that enable students to present and critically evaluate competing interpretations through written and oral analysis. Students are expected to distinguish between different artistic and historical schools or periods using the varying approaches and viewpoints characterized by those periods under study. In addition, these courses encourage students to identify the values that underlie the world-views of different cultures and peoples, as well as their own culture(s) over time.

This learning activity supports the preparation of students in the UK Core Program   to conduct a sustained piece of analysis of a work of art, in this case, and that makes use of logical argument, coherent theses and evidence of art history, ideally with an informed, appropriate use of library sources. In a course fulfilling the Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities, students learn to interpret, evaluate and analyze creations of the human intellect while recognizing the validity of different points of view.

Step 1: Choose two art pieces to analyze

Do this exercise a week or so before your exam, using material already covered in class so that it is related to the material on which you will be tested for that exam. 

First, read some blogs about art history. Check out Masterpiece Cards website where there are many images of interest to art historians. Under the “Blog” tab, you'll find the “Famous Painters Blogroll” that lists many excellent blogs there.

Now, choose a few pieces of art that you like or are curious about – maybe you like the colors or the theme of the piece. Once you have selected several works of art, think about which two have similarities: is it the subject matter? the colors? the size? texture? Are they both sculptures,or both landscape paintings, for example? Perhaps they both manage to evoke a particular feeling in you. It’s important that you choose two that you are interested in personally for some reason. They should “speak” to you – not just emotionally, but intellectually as well.

Here’s an example of a compare-and-contrast essay < http://academichelp.net/samples/essay/compare-contrast/two-art-periods-major-works.html > using two works from the Renaissance and Neoclassicism eras: Michelangelo’s David and Antonio Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. Notice that these two pieces were chosen because they both are considered by scholars to be representative of their time periods and that both of the artists used unconventional ideas in their depiction of the current political and social conditions of the day.  It’s important that you choose two pieces that allow you to make appropriate comparisons relating to the concepts you are learning in your art history class.  This is an important first step as you prepare to write an effective essay that covers multiple main issues covered in class.

Now that you’ve chosen your two art pieces, be sure and write down the most important ways by which you want to identify them.  You can use a local library and online museums (check out, for example, the Art Cylopedia 's Art Museums Worldwide website) to get this information:

Artist’s full name

Title of the art piece

Year of production, country/location/culture

Size of the art piece

Materials/medium used to create it

Formal elements such as line, color, composition

Art style or school the piece comes from (with some basic descriptors of the hallmarks of that art style in general)

Subject matter of the piece

Step 2: Choose 5 elements, items, topics for a comparison chart

In order for you to create an art history exam question yourself, start first with a detailed list of at least five elements, items, or topics you expect to use in your comparison.  In addition to the characteristics and elements listed in Step 1 above, you might also consider using the following in your comparison list:

Style of the piece, e.g., abstract, naturalistic, idealistic, realistic

Function or symbolism of the piece (What was it used for? Does it communicate a message? Is it asking for something? Is it sacred or secular)

Cultural context, e.g., how might the quality of life at the time and place the piece was created affected its function and style? Do historical events relate to the image or story depicted?

Step 3: Brainstorm to compare and contrast the two art pieces

Download and use th Venn Diagram below to help you start brainstorming – put the similarities in the middle and differences to either side. 

Or you can use the Read-Write-Think Interactive Venn Diagram online: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/venn/index.html .

This will help you visualize how much the two art pieces have in common and how much difference there is.

Now, revise and sharpen.  You must decide which of the characteristics you’ve listed are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in an essay. Ask yourself these questions:

What’s relevant to the course I’m taking? Why did I choose these two pieces of art?

What’s interesting and most revealing to my readers?

What matters most to the argument I am going to make?

What’s the most basic or central idea (and needs to be mentioned, even if obvious)?

Overall, what’s more important—the similarities or the differences?

Charts to download and use

Step 4: create a chart with 5 main elements to analyze.

Now, list on a chart those 5 main elements you’ve chosen to focus in on and compile detailed notes for each piece in relation to those elements, items or topics to expand upon in the comparison essay. 

You can use a Double Cell Diagram (see for example the bubble graphic organizer at http://www.graphic.org/bubble.html ) and start making your own for free online at bubble.us or at TheBrain.com .  Or you can use the simple chart, available for download above.

Be sure to use the appropriate terminology and skills from the course readings and specific to the discipline of art history.  For example, in introductory art history courses, students are required in their exam essays typically to compare and contrast different works demonstrating not only their learned skills of formal visual analysis, but also their ability to place works and monuments in a historical context.  This means comparing works not only in terms of the differences in their formal elements, but also in terms of the socio-political, theological, regional or cultural reasons behind those differences.

Step 5: Write Your Own Essay Exam Question

Now that you have the information and key information for a good essay answer, what is the question?  Spend some time thinking from your instructor’s perspective and develop a good essay exam question that would be the prompt for you to write an essay from your brainstorming and chart developed in Steps 3 and 4.

Good essay exam questions are hard to write.  Review some basics on how to write ideal test items here at the Study Guides and Strategies Website: Constructing Essay Exams .  Be sure and use precise directives in your question – review these good tips for definitions associated with the verbs used in essay exams.

Now post your exam question and your chart for others to see and comment on.

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Ultimate Guide to the AP Art History Exam

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In 2019, only about 24,476 of the more than five million students taking AP exams took the AP Art History exam. If you’re planning to take the AP Art History exam, whether you’ve taken the class or have self-studied, read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare for it.

When is the AP Art History Exam?

The 2020 AP Art History exam takes place on Friday, May 8, at 12 pm. For more information on all of the AP exams and their 2020 test times, check out our blog post 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know . 

What Does the AP Art History Exam Cover?

The AP Art History course teaches students the nature of art (its uses, meanings, and production) and societal responses to art throughout history. It seeks to immerse students in rich artistic traditions across cultures dating from prehistory to the present while fostering an in-depth understanding and appreciation of the history of art.

In this class, you can expect to learn “visual, contextual, and comparative analysis applied to a variety of art forms, understanding of individual works and connections between processes and products throughout history.” Although there are no official prerequisites for the coursework, students who have excelled in the humanities, such as literature or history, or in studio art classes, will find that these experiences enrich their perspective as they undertake the studying of art history. 

The AP Art History course was redesigned for the 2015-2016 school year, and while much of the course content remains the same, it is now presented alongside clear learning objectives for the exam. The scope was also narrowed to focus more on conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and analysis skills, with less emphasis placed on knowledge of specific artworks. The course does still require that students become familiar with a set of specific artwork, but this set shrunk from over 500 pieces in the previous curriculum to 250 included in the course redesign. 

The AP Art History course is commonly broken into 10 units. Below is a sequence of the units suggested by the College Board, along with the percentage of questions from each unit that will appear on the multiple-choice section of the AP Art History exam. 

AP Art History Exam Content

The AP Art History exam is one of the longer AP exams, clocking in at three hours. It comprises two sections: one section of multiple-choice questions, the other of free response questions. 

Section 1: Multiple Choice 

1 hour | 80 questions | 50% of score

The first section lasts one hour, is made up of 80 multiple-choice questions, and accounts for 50% of your total score. Of these 80 questions, there are approximately 40 individual questions, some of which are based on a color image of a work of art. The other 40 questions are grouped into eight sets of 3-6 questions, each set based on a different color image. 

Section 2: Free Response 

2 hours | 6 questions | 50% of score

The second section is the free response section, which lasts for two hours, includes six questions, and accounts for the remaining 50% of your total score. This section is divided into two 30-minute essays and four 15-minute essays, which often include images of art as stimuli for the given prompt.

30-Minute Essays: The longer of the free response questions will provide you with 3-5 works of art from the AP Art History course with a unifying idea. They may also call upon you to respond with a choice of artwork of your choosing, either from within or outside of the required course content. 

Question 1: The first 30-minute free response question focuses on comparison, tasking you with comparing select artwork from the course (images provided), and articulating the similarities and differences between the works. 

Question 2: The second long-answer free response question is about visual/contextual analysis, requiring you to analyze the visual and contextual features of a work of art from the AP Art History course (this is the only free response question which will not provide an image of artwork), and respond to a prompt with a thesis supported by evidence.  

Question 3: This question tests visual analysis, and requires you to examine the visual elements of a work of art—image provided—and connect it to a tradition, style, or practice. 

Question 4: The fourth question covers contextual analysis and asks you to evaluate the contextual elements from an image set and explain how context can influence artistic decisions. 

Question 5: This question focuses on attribution. Here, you must attribute a work of art to an artist and justify your assertion using visual evidence. 

Question 6: The final free response question spotlights continuity and change. You’ll need to identify the relationships—including artistic tradition, style, and/or practice—between works of art. 

AP Art History Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

The AP Art History exam is a tough one to master, though many students pass it with average scores. In 2019, 63.1% of students who took the AP Art History received a score of 3 or higher. Of these, only 11.9% of students received the top score of 5, with another 24.6% scoring a 4. If you’re curious about other score distributions, see our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Keep in mind, credit and advanced standing based on AP scores varies widely from school to school. Though a score of 3 is typically considered passing, it is not always enough to receive credit. Regulations regarding which APs qualify for course credits or advanced placement at specific colleges and universities can be found on the College Board website . 

A full course description that can help to guide your studying and understanding of the knowledge required for the exam can be found in the College Board’s course description .

Read on for tips for preparing for the exam.

Best Ways to Study for the AP Art History Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge of the material. Although the College Board AP Art History website provides a number of sample test questions and exam tips, it does not provide a complete sample test. However, practice tests are readily available in commercial study guides such as Barron’s AP Art History, 3rd Edition . Varsity Tutors also offers a handful of free diagnostic tests for AP Art History . You can also find an older version of test questions from the College Board’s 2011 exam or image-based questions from the 2013 exam to get a general idea of the test’s structure and content.

Step 2: Study the Material

The content and curriculum of the AP Art History course are based on three sets of big ideas and essential questions. These overarching concepts are intended to encourage critical thinking, analysis, and appreciation of art throughout time and place, and to foster your understanding of the field of art history. The big ideas and their associated essential questions are:   

• Big Idea 1: Artists manipulate materials and ideas to create an aesthetic object, act, or event. Essential Question: What is art and how is it made?
• Big Idea 2: Art making is shaped by tradition and change. Essential Question: Why and how does art change?
• Big Idea 3: Interpretations of art are variable. Essential Question: How do we describe our thinking about art?

Through the exploration of big ideas and answering essential questions, you should develop a foundational set of art historical thinking skills. Below are eight distinct art history skills you’ll develop in the AP Art History course and the percentage of the multiple-choice section of the AP Art History exam you can expect them to represent. 

In addition to these specific art history thinking skills, you will also need to be familiar with the official AP Art History image set which contains “250 works of art categorized by geographic and chronological designations, beginning with works from global prehistory and ending with global contemporary works.” These works are found in the College Board AP Art History Course Description .   

The College Board refers students to Khan Academy’s comprehensive AP Art History Study Guide . This website has a wealth of free material for effectively and efficiently learning what you’ll need to know for the exam. The College Board also provides a series of useful videos on the AP Art History teacher site that give an overview of the curricular framework, exam format, and writing tips.

There are also a number of free study resources available online. Many AP teachers have posted complete study guides, review sheets, and test questions—for example, this website from Valerie White , a ceramics teacher. Be careful when accessing these, as many will be from previous versions of the exam.

Finally, another convenient way to study is to use one of the recently-developed apps for AP exams. These can make studying on-the-go a lot easier. Make sure you read reviews before choosing one—their quality varies widely. Here’s an AP Art History app from Varsity Tutors that currently has 4.2 stars.

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. You could also try taking the multiple-choice section of another practice exam.

The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple-choice questions along with explanations of their answers. There are additional questions available in commercial study guides. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any vocabulary that is still unfamiliar.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

All free response questions on the AP Art History exam include either images of works of art (from the required course content, except in the case of attribution questions) or a list of works from the required course content to prompt student responses. For questions that ask you to identify a piece of work, you should try to include all available identifiers including title or designation, name of the artist and/or culture of origin, date of creation, and materials. You should be able to provide at least two correct identifiers, but you will not be penalized for any additional identifiers that are incorrect. 

On the free response section of the AP Art History exam, a distinct emphasis is placed on the strength of your writing. To be successful, you will need to use clear, appropriate, and descriptive language. Your ideas should be organized logically with coherent evidence to support your assertions. You will need to make fact-based inferences and closely align your writing with the prompt’s directives.

As you complete the free response questions, make sure to keep an eye on the time. Though you will be reminded of the time remaining by the exam proctor, you will not be forced to move on to another question. Make sure you stay on track to address each section of every question. No points can be awarded for answers left completely blank when time runs out.

A fantastic way to prepare for the free response questions on the AP Art History exam is to practice with them. The College Board has the free response questions from the 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 exams posted on its website. Another helpful resource when preparing for the AP Art History exam is also found on the College Board website— this presentation from Heather Madar of Humboldt State University provides a small sampling of the free response questions, along with insight into how students performed and the places they struggled.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the very beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement. If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam day specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

Wondering what your odds of acceptance are to your dream school? Using your GPA, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and other data points, our chancing engine lets you know your chances of acceptance to over 500 colleges in the U.S. You can also see how you stack up against other applicants, and learn how to improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to start using our chancing engine today!

Looking for more great information about AP exams? Check out these other posts from CollegeVine: 

2020 AP Exam Schedule

How Long is Each AP Exam?

Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing Essays in Art History

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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.

These OWL resources provide guidance on typical genres with the art history discipline that may appear in professional settings or academic assignments, including museum catalog entries, museum title cards, art history analysis, notetaking, and art history exams.

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.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is ap art history should you take it.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Thinking about taking AP Art History but aren't sure what it covers? AP Art History differs from other AP arts courses in that you're not creating your own art--instead, you're learning about the huge variety of art that has been created across time and around the world. The course covers a lot of ground, and knowing what to expect from the start can help you have a productive and manageable year. In this guide, we'll look at what students learn in AP Art History, what the AP Art History exam is like, if the course is considered hard, and resources and tips you can use to help you ace the class and the AP exam.

What Does AP Art History Cover?

AP Art History is designed to give students broad knowledge in a variety of artistic forms and styles across the globe and over the course of human history. The course covers six continents and over 30,000 years of art history. Students who take the course learn how to critically examine a wide variety of art and express their thoughts on it.

There are roughly 250 works of art (known as the AP Art History 250 ) you're expected to know as an AP Art History student. (If that terrifies you, know that the list used to stretch to over 500 before the 2015-2016 course update!)  For each AP Art History 250 piece, you'll learn facts about the art, its creation, and how it fits into larger art history patterns.

There are ten units in AP Art History, each covering a specific region and time frame. You can read the AP Art History Course and Exam Description for an in-depth look at each major topic the course covers. Below is an overview of the ten units along with the percentage of questions you can expect to focus on that unit in the multiple-choice section of the AP exam.

Unit 1: Global Prehistory, 30,000-500 BCE 

• Origins of human art across the globe during the stone ages.
• 4% of multiple-choice score

Unit 2: Ancient Mediterranean, 3500 BCE-300 CE 

• A broad range of artistic works from the civilizations of the ancient Near East and Egypt, as well as the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman cultures.
• 15% of multiple-choice score

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

• Evolution of art from the early middle ages through the mid-18th century in Europe and the Americas.
• 21% of multiple-choice score

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

• The effect of rapid societal change on art from the modern period in Europe and the Americas.

Unit 5: Indigenous Americas, 1000 BCE-1980 CE

• The roots and evolution of indigenous American art from the ancient civilizations of Central and South America to Native North American societies.
• 6% of multiple-choice score

Unit 6: Africa, 1100-1980 CE

• The diversity of African art and the role it played in the many and varied societies on the continent.

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

• The techniques, materials, and evolution of art throughout West and Central Asia.

Unit 8: South, East, and Southeast Asia, 300 BCE-1980 CE

• The tradition of Asian art from prehistoric times to modern works.
• 8% of multiple-choice score

Unit 9: The Pacific, 700-1980 CE

• Types of art from the vast network of islands in the Pacific Ocean stretching from Australia to Hawaii.

Unit 10: Global Contemporary, 1980 CE to Present

• The many forms of modern art from across the globe.
• 11% of multiple-choice score

What's the Exam Format for AP Art History?

As with most AP exams, Art History's is split into two parts: multiple choice, followed by free response. The chart below gives an overview of the exam format:

For the multiple-choice section, you'll have an hour to answer 80 questions. The questions can be sets of 2-3 related questions, or individual questions. Each question is based on a color image of a work of art. For this section you'll be asked to:

• Analyze visual and contextual elements of works of art and link them to a larger artistic tradition.
• Compare 2 or more works.
• Attribute works of art beyond the images provided in questions.
• Analyze art historical interpretations.

For the free-response section, there are six questions. Here's what you'll need to do for each:

Question 1: Long Essay–Compare a required work of art and another of your choosing and explain the significance of the similarities and differences between those works, citing evidence to support your claim.

Question 2: Long Essay–Select and identify a work of art and make assertions about it based on evidence.

Question 3: Short Essay–Describe a work of art beyond the image[s] provided in the prompt and connect it to an artistic tradition, style, or practice.

Question 4: Short Essay–Describe contextual influences of a work of art in the image set and explain how context can influence artistic decisions or affect the meaning of a work of art.

Question 5: Short Essay–Attribute a work of art beyond the image set to a particular artist, culture, or style, and justify your assertions with evidence.

Question 6: Short Essay–Analyze the relationship between a provided work of art and a related artistic tradition, style, or practice.

Question 1 is worth 8 points, Question 2 is worth 6 points, and Questions 3-6 are each worth 5 points. The free-response section as a whole is worth 50% of your total AP score.

How Hard Is AP Art History?

Is AP Art History hard? It certainly covers a lot of information and requires you to use multiple skills, but how does it compare to other AP courses and exams? We have an entire article on the toughest AP classes and tests , but in this section we'll analyze AP Art History specifically.

To start, let's look at some data. Here's how students scored on the AP Art History exam in 2021 :

There are two measurements we can look at to determine AP Art History difficulty. The first is the 5 rate, or what percentage of test takers earned the highest score on the exam. The 5 rate for AP Art History is 12%, which is roughly the average for all AP exams. The other measurement is the passing rate, or what percentage of test takers earned a 3 or higher. Art History has a passing rate of 55% which is below average. Out of 44 exams, only 12 had a lower passing rate than Art History. This means that Art History may be harder than the average AP course.

From forums like College Confidential, Reddit, and Quora, we know that, even though many students think the course material and exam questions are fairly straightforward, the sheer amount of information you need to know--about different types of art, different regions, different styles etc. can make it difficult to do well in Art History. 

Another way to gauge the difficulty of AP Art History is to ask former students their opinions. Maybe your school has a really great Art History teacher who makes the material interesting and easier to understand. Or maybe the class is known for having a ton of homework that makes it difficult to find time for your other classes.

Whichever resources you use to decide if AP Art History is hard or not, remember to take all that information with a grain of salt. What's difficult for one person can be easy for another. If you have a genuine interest in art history, you'll likely have an easier time than someone who doesn't because you'll be more motivated to learn all the information required. Similarly, if you are naturally good at memorizing facts, you may fare better than someone who can't keep dates or names straight but is excellent at broad analysis, simply because of the type of course AP Art History is.

Should You Take AP Art History?

Now you know what to expect from the AP Art History course and exam, but the question remains: should you take AP Art History? The answer really depends on how you personally feel about the course and the material it covers.

As we mentioned above, Art History can be a tough AP course with a lot of memorization and homework required to do well. If you don't have an interest in the subject, that can make it a slog to get through the class. However, because art history is an interdisciplinary subject, it can appeal to a lot of students, including those interested in history, art, different cultures, and social science in general. If you're interested in fine arts, it can be an especially good option because it's a test-based AP (as opposed to portfolio-based APs like 3D and 2D Art) that allows you to study art but also show off your writing and test-taking skills to colleges.

Many times high school students feel pressured to take "impressive" classes that they think will look good on their college applications, and they want to know how colleges will view AP Art History. The truth is that, since it's an AP course, AP Art History will automatically look good on your transcript and will be more impressive than a regular-level or honors-level course. Many colleges do tend to see STEM AP courses (like AP Biology, Calculus, etc.) as a bit more impressive, but if you're really interested in the material, sign up for AP Art History! You'll likely get a higher grade on the AP exam than you would in a course you don't care about, and a high AP score is another bonus for you.

AP Art History Practice Tests

Practice tests are one of the best ways to study for an AP exam, but only if you're using the right materials. In this section we cover the best AP Art History study resources to get your prep off on the right foot.

Official Practice Tests

Official practice materials are the absolute best to use for any AP exam. They're made by the same people who design the actual AP exam questions, so you know their practice materials will be high quality. 

For free-response questions, you can access dozens of old AP Art History exam questions and answer explanations on the AP site.

• FRQ from 2021
• FRQ from 1999-2020

These are a great resource, and you should be sure to make use of them. More recent questions (2016 and later) will be more useful since they'll be in line with the current format of the exam.

Additionally, the AP Art History Course and Exam Description contains 15 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions beginning on page 327 of the document.

Unofficial Practice Tests

Because there are so many official free-response questions available, we recommend using only them for your prep. Save unofficial resources for multiple-choice questions. There are quite a few unofficial resources for AP Art History practice questions; unfortunately, many of them are low quality and not worth your time. 

A good rule of thumb is that, if the multiple-choice questions aren't accompanied by an image of a work of art, they aren't close to what you'll see on the actual AP exam and should be avoided. Right now Albert is the only really solid unofficial online resource. You'll have to create an account to access the materials, and, additionally, some questions require a paid account on top of that, but their questions are high-quality and a good match to the actual exam.

There are also prep books available that include practice exams. These can be a helpful resource but, like any other unofficial material, be sure to read reviews carefully before buying one.

3 Study Tips for AP Art History

Once you have your study materials in hand, follow the three tips outlined below to ace both sections of the AP Art History exam.

#1: Get Friendly With Flashcards

As we mentioned above, you'll need to know the AP Art History 250 works of art. For each one, you should be able to rattle off the title, artist, date and location of creation, and a fact or two about its importance. All together, that's over a thousand bits of information you'll need to keep straight. Flashcards will be your friend! Once you've created your set of flashcards, we recommend using the waterfall method as the best way to drill down into the cards you don't know and memorize all the information as efficiently and easily as possible.

#2: Make Connections Between Works of Art

Just memorizing facts isn't enough to do well in AP Art History; you also need to be able to analyze different works of art and discuss their similarities, differences, and relation to the region and time period as a whole. You'll likely be doing a lot of this in class, but because it's such an important skill, make sure to spend time on it outside of class as well. As you're going through your flashcards, draw a couple cards randomly and try to make connections between them. What characteristics do they share? How do they differ? What changes in the world contributed to these differences? If you need help getting started, the free-response questions on the AP website are a great place to see the types of questions you might be asked (as well as what strong answers look like).

#3: Keep Track of Time

A time crunch is always present on AP exams, and Art History is no exception. For the multiple-choice section, you'll have 60 minutes to answer 80 questions, which gives you 45 seconds per question. For most people, this is doable as long as they don't get tripped up and spend several minutes struggling over a single question. 

For the free-response section, time pressure is often even greater because you'll have to write what are effectively six short essays. It's very easy to get caught up in one essay and suddenly realize that there are ten minutes left in the section and you haven't even started the last two essay questions. Don't let this happen to you!

At a minimum, you should pause for a moment at the midway point of each section (that's 30 minutes into the multiple-choice section and one hour into the free-response section) and assess how you're doing for time. Have you answered about half of the questions? Then you can keep the pace you're at. If not, then you know you need to speed things up.

It's also important to be OK with skipping questions. If you've spent over a minute staring at a multiple-choice problem and still have no idea how to answer it, mark a random answer and come back to it if you have extra time at the end of the section. For free response, don't be afraid to answer the questions out of order. And keep to about 20 minutes per essay in order to have enough time to answer each of the questions.

Summary: What Is AP Art History?

AP Art History covers the history of art spanning six continents and over 30,000 years. Students who take the course will learn how to analyze and discuss various works of art (including the AP Art History 250). Is AP Art History hard? Students often mention the large amount of information you need to memorize, and the AP exam has a lower passing rate than average, but don't let that dissuade you if you're interested in the course material. If you do decide to take the class, be sure to make use of flashcards, get lots of practice making connections between works of art, and keep track of time throughout the AP exam.

What's Next?

Is art school in your future?  Read our guide on the 10 best art schools in the US to get an overview of the top options.

If you're planning on going to art school, you'll need to create a portfolio of your best work. Learn more about how to make a great portfolio that will impress your dream school.

If you're worried about paying for college, there are tons of scholarships out there for you. Read this article on the best scholarships you can win as a high school senior.

Looking for help studying for your AP exam?

Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Required works of art for AP®︎ Art History

by Smarthistory

Content Area 1

Global prehistory | 30,000–500 b.c.e., 1. apollo 11 stones, 1. (related) origins of rock art in africa.

• 2. Great Hall of the Bulls
• 3. Camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine

Running Horned Woman "> 4. Running Horned Woman

• 5. Bushel with ibex motifs
• 6. Anthropomorphic stele

cong "> 7. Jade cong

• 8. Stonehenge
• 9. The Ambum stone
• 10. Tlatilco female figurine
• 11. Terra cotta fragment

Content Area 2

Ancient mediterranean | 3,500 b.c.e.–300 c.e..

• 12. White Temple and its ziggurat
• 13. Palette of King Narmer
• 14. Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq)

Seated scribe "> 15. Seated scribe

Standard of ur from the royal tombs at ur (modern tell el-muqayyar, iraq)"> 16. standard of ur from the royal tombs at ur (modern tell el-muqayyar, iraq), 17. great pyramids (menkaura, khafre, khufu) and great sphinx, 17.a. pyramid of khufu, 17.b. pyramid of khafre and the great sphinx, 17.c. pyramid of menkaure.

• 18. King Menkaura and queen

The Code of Hammurabi "> 19. The Code of Hammurabi

• 20. Temple of Amun-Re and the Hypostyle Hall
• 21. Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters "> 22. Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters

• 23. Tutankhamun’s tomb, innermost coffin

Book of the Dead )"> 24. Last judgment of Hunefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead )

• 25. Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad, Iraq)
• 26. Athenian Agora

Anavysos Kouros "> 27. Anavysos Kouros

Peplos kore from the acropolis"> 28. peplos kore from the acropolis, sarcophagus of the spouses "> 29. sarcophagus of the spouses, apadana ) of darius and xerxes"> 30. audience hall ( apadana ) of darius and xerxes, 30. (related) capital of a column from the audience hall of the palace of darius i, susa.

• 31. Temple of Minerva (Veii, near Rome, Italy) and sculpture of Apollo, Master sculptor Vulca

Tomb of the Triclinium "> 32. Tomb of the Triclinium

Niobides krater "> 33. niobides krater, doryphoros (spear-bearer) , polykleitos"> 34. doryphoros (spear-bearer) , polykleitos, 35. acropolis, 35.a. the parthenon, 35.a.i. parthenon sculptures (pediments, metopes and frieze), 35.a.ii. who owns the parthenon sculptures, plaque of the ergastines "> 35.a.iii. plaque of the ergastines, 35.a.iv. the many lives of the parthenon, nike adjusting her sandal from the temple of athena nike"> 35.b. nike adjusting her sandal from the temple of athena nike, grave stele of hegeso "> 36. grave stele of hegeso, winged victory of samothrace "> 37. winged victory of samothrace.

• 38. Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon
• 39. House of the Vettii

Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii"> 40. Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii

Seated boxer "> 41. seated boxer, head of a roman patrician "> 42. head of a roman patrician, 42. (related) veristic male portrait, augustus of prima porta "> 43. augustus of prima porta.

• 44. Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater)

45. Forum of Trajan, Apollodorus of Damascus

45.a. column of trajan.

• 46. Pantheon

Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus "> 47. Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus

Content area 3, early europe and colonial americas | 200–1750 c.e..

• 48. Catacomb of Priscilla
• 49. Santa Sabina

Vienna Genesis "> 50. Vienna Genesis

50a. jacob wrestling the angel, 50b. rebecca and eliezer at the well, 51. san vitale, 51.a. empress theodora, rhetoric, and byzantine primary sources, 52. hagia sophia, anthemius of tralles and isidorus of miletus, theotokos mosaic "> 52.a. theotokos mosaic, deësis mosaic "> 52.b. deësis mosaic, 52.c. hagia sophia as a mosque.

• 53. Merovingian looped fibulae

Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George "> 54. Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George

Lindisfarne gospels : st. matthew, cross-carpet page; st. luke portrait page; st. luke incipit page"> 55. lindisfarne gospels : st. matthew, cross-carpet page; st. luke portrait page; st. luke incipit page.

• 56. Great Mosque at Cordoba
• 57. Pyxis of al-Mughira
• 58. Church of Sainte-Foy

Bayeux Tapestry "> 59. Bayeux Tapestry

• 60. Chartres Cathedral

Bibles moralisées "> 61. Dedication Page with Blanche of Castile and King Louis IX of France, Scenes from the Apocalypse from Bibles moralisées

61.a. moralized bible (paris-oxford-london)), röttgen pietà "> 62. röttgen pietà, 63. arena (scrovegni) chapel, giotto di bondone, 63.a. introduction, 63.b. fresco cycle, lamentation "> 63.c. lamentation, last judgment "> 63.d. last judgment, 63.e. the arena chapel in virtual reality, golden haggadah (the plagues of egypt, scenes of liberation, and preparation for passover)"> 64. golden haggadah (the plagues of egypt, scenes of liberation, and preparation for passover).

• 65. Alhambra

Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) , Workshop of Robert Campin"> 66. Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) , Workshop of Robert Campin

• 67. Pazzi Chapel, Filippo Brunelleschi

The Arnolfini Portrait , Jan Van Eyck"> 68. The Arnolfini Portrait , Jan Van Eyck

The arnolfini portrait "> 68.a. the question of pregnancy in the arnolfini portrait, david , donatello"> 69. david , donatello.

• 70. Palazzo Rucellai, Leon Battista Alberti

Madonna and Child with Two Angels , Fra Filippo Lippi"> 71. Madonna and Child with Two Angels , Fra Filippo Lippi

Birth of venus , sandro botticelli"> 72. birth of venus , sandro botticelli, last supper , leonardo da vinci"> 73. last supper , leonardo da vinci, adam and eve , albrecht dürer"> 74. adam and eve , albrecht dürer, adam and eve "> 74.a. more about adam and eve, 75. sistine chapel ceiling and altar wall frescos, michelangelo, 75.a. ceiling frescoes, 75.a.i. studies for the libyan sibyl (recto); studies for the libyan sibyl and a small sketch for a seated figure (verso), michelangelo, last judgment "> 75.b. altar wall, last judgment, school of athens , raphael"> 76. school of athens , raphael, 76.a. raphael, an introduction, isenheim altarpiece , matthias grünewald"> 77. isenheim altarpiece , matthias grünewald, entombment of christ , jacopo da pontormo"> 78. entombment of christ , jacopo da pontormo, allegory of law and grace , lucas cranach the elder"> 79. allegory of law and grace , lucas cranach the elder, venus of urbino , titian"> 80. venus of urbino , titian, codex mendoza "> 81. frontispiece of the codex mendoza, triumph of the name of jesus ceiling fresco"> 82. il gesù, including triumph of the name of jesus ceiling fresco, hunters in the snow , pieter bruegel the elder"> 83. hunters in the snow , pieter bruegel the elder.

• 84. Mosque of Selim II, Mimar Sinan

Calling of St. Matthew , Caravaggio"> 85. Calling of St. Matthew , Caravaggio

Henri iv receives the portrait of of marie de’medici , from the marie de’medici cycle, peter paul rubens"> 86. henri iv receives the portrait of of marie de’medici , from the marie de’medici cycle, peter paul rubens, self-portrait with saskia , rembrandt van rijn"> 87. self-portrait with saskia , rembrandt van rijn.

• 88. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Francesco Borromini

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa , Gian Lorenzo Bernini"> 89. Ecstasy of Saint Teresa , Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Angel with arquebus, asiel timor dei , master of calamarca"> 90. angel with arquebus, asiel timor dei , master of calamarca, las meninas , diego velázquez"> 91. las meninas , diego velázquez, woman holding a balance , johannes vermeer"> 92. woman holding a balance , johannes vermeer.

• 93. The Palace at Versailles

Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene "> 94. Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene

The virgin of guadalupe (virgen de guadalupe) , miguel gonzález"> 95. the virgin of guadalupe (virgen de guadalupe) , miguel gonzález, virgin of guadalupe "> 95. (related) virgin of guadalupe, fruit and insects , rachel ruysch"> 96. fruit and insects , rachel ruysch, spaniard and indian produce a mestizo , attributed to juan rodríguez juárez"> 97. spaniard and indian produce a mestizo , attributed to juan rodríguez juárez, the tête à tête , from marriage a la mode , william hogarth"> 98. the tête à tête , from marriage a la mode , william hogarth, content area 4, later europe and americas | 1750–1980 c.e., portrait of sor juana inés de la cruz , miguel cabrera "> 99. portrait of sor juana inés de la cruz , miguel cabrera, a philosopher giving a lecture on the orrery , joseph wright of derby"> 100. a philosopher giving a lecture on the orrery , joseph wright of derby, the swing , jean-honoré fragonard"> 101. the swing , jean-honoré fragonard.

• 102. Monticello, Thomas Jefferson

The Oath of the Horatii , Jacques-Louis David"> 103. The Oath of the Horatii , Jacques-Louis David

George washington , jean-antoine houdon"> 104. george washington , jean-antoine houdon, self-portrait , elisabeth vigée le brun"> 105. self-portrait , elisabeth vigée le brun, y no hai remedio (and there’s nothing to be done) , from los desastres de la guerra (the disasters of war) , plate 15, francesco de goya"> 106. y no hai remedio (and there’s nothing to be done) , from los desastres de la guerra (the disasters of war) , plate 15, francesco de goya, la grande odalisque , jean-auguste-dominique ingres"> 107. la grande odalisque , jean-auguste-dominique ingres, liberty leading the people , eugène delacroix"> 108. liberty leading the people , eugène delacroix, the oxbow (view from mount holyoke, northampton, massachusetts, after a thunderstorm) , thomas cole"> 109. the oxbow (view from mount holyoke, northampton, massachusetts, after a thunderstorm) , thomas cole, still life in studio , louis-jacques-mandé daguerre"> 110. still life in studio , louis-jacques-mandé daguerre, slave ship (slavers throwing overboard the dead and dying, typhoon coming on) , j.m.w. turner"> 111. slave ship (slavers throwing overboard the dead and dying, typhoon coming on) , j.m.w. turner.

• 112. Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), Charles Barry and A.W.N. Pugin

The Stone Breakers , Gustave Courbet"> 113. The Stone Breakers , Gustave Courbet

Nadar raising photography to the height of art , honoré daumier"> 114. nadar raising photography to the height of art , honoré daumier, olympia , édouard manet"> 115. olympia , édouard manet, the saint-lazare station , claude monet"> 116. the saint-lazare station , claude monet, the horse in motion , eadweard muybridge"> 117. the horse in motion , eadweard muybridge, the valley of mexico from the hillside of santa isabel (el valle de méxico desde el cerro de santa isabel) , josé maría velasco"> 118. the valley of mexico from the hillside of santa isabel (el valle de méxico desde el cerro de santa isabel) , josé maría velasco, the burghers of calais , auguste rodin"> 119. the burghers of calais , auguste rodin, the starry night , vincent van gogh"> 120. the starry night , vincent van gogh, the coiffure , mary cassatt"> 121. the coiffure , mary cassatt, the scream , edvard munch"> 122. the scream , edvard munch, where do we come from what are we where are we going , paul gauguin"> 123. where do we come from what are we where are we going , paul gauguin.

• 124. Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building, Louis Sullivan

Mont Sainte-Victoire , Paul Cézanne"> 125. Mont Sainte-Victoire , Paul Cézanne

Les demoiselles d’avignon , pablo picasso"> 126. les demoiselles d’avignon , pablo picasso, the steerage , alfred stieglitz"> 127. the steerage , alfred stieglitz, the kiss , gustav klimt"> 128. the kiss , gustav klimt, the kiss , constantin brancusi"> 129. the kiss , constantin brancusi, the portuguese , georges braque"> 130. the portuguese , georges braque, 130. related pablo picasso and the new language of cubism, goldfish , henri matisse"> 131. goldfish , henri matisse, improvisation 28 (second version) , vasily kandinsky"> 132. improvisation 28 (second version) , vasily kandinsky, self-portrait as a soldier , ernst ludwig kirchner"> 133. self-portrait as a soldier , ernst ludwig kirchner, memorial sheet of karl liebknecht , käthe kollwitz"> 134. memorial sheet of karl liebknecht , käthe kollwitz.

• 135. Villa Savoye, Le Corbusier

Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow , Piet Mondrian"> 136. Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow , Piet Mondrian

The results of the first five-year plan , varvara stepanova"> 137. illustration from the results of the first five-year plan , varvara stepanova, object (le déjeuner en fourrure) , meret oppenheim"> 138. object (le déjeuner en fourrure) , meret oppenheim.

• 139. Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright

The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) , Frida Kahlo"> 140. The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) , Frida Kahlo

The migration of the negro, panel no. 49 , jacob lawrence"> 141. the migration of the negro, panel no. 49 , jacob lawrence, the jungle , wilfredo lam"> 142. the jungle , wilfredo lam, dream of a sunday afternoon in the alameda park , diego rivera"> 143. dream of a sunday afternoon in the alameda park , diego rivera, fountain (second version), marcel duchamp"> 144. fountain (second version), marcel duchamp, woman, i , willem de kooning"> 145. woman, i , willem de kooning.

• 146. Seagram Building, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson

Marilyn Diptych , Andy Warhol"> 147. Marilyn Diptych , Andy Warhol

Narcissus garden , yayoi kusama"> 148. narcissus garden , yayoi kusama, the bay , helen frankenthaler"> 149. the bay , helen frankenthaler, lipstick (ascending) on caterpillar tracks , claes oldenburg"> 150. lipstick (ascending) on caterpillar tracks , claes oldenburg, spiral jetty , robert smithson"> 151. spiral jetty , robert smithson.

• 152. House in New Castle County, Robert Venturi, John Rausch and Denise Scott Brown

Content Area 5

Indigenous americas | 1000 b.c.e.–1980 c.e..

• 153. Chavín de Huántar
• 154. Mesa Verde cliff dwellings

155. Yaxchilán

155. (related) yaxchilán lintels.

• 156. Great Serpent Mound

157. Templo Mayor (Main Temple)

157.a. the coyolxauhqui stone, 157.b. the calendar stone, 157.c. olmec-style mask.

• 158. Ruler’s feather headdress (probably of Motecuhzoma II)
• 159. City of Cusco, including Qorikancha (Inka main temple), Santo Domingo (Spanish colonial convent), and Walls at Saqsa Waman (Sacsayhuaman)
• 160. Maize cobs
• 161. City of Machu Picchu
• 162. All-T’oqapu tunic

163. Bandolier bag

163.a. what is a bandolier bag.

• 164. Transformation mask
• 165. Painted elk hide, attributed to Cotsiogo (Cadzi Cody)
• 166. Black-on-black ceramic vessel, Maria Martínez and Julian Martínez

Content Area 6

Africa | 1100–1980 c.e..

• 167. Conical tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe
• 168. Great Mosque of Djenné

169. Wall plaque, from Oba's palace

169.a. benin plaques.

• 170. Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)

Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul"> 171. Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul

Nkisi n'kondi )"> 172. power figure ( nkisi n'kondi ), pwo ) mask"> 173. female ( pwo ) mask, mblo )"> 174. portrait mask ( mblo ), bundu mask"> 175. bundu mask, ikenga (shrine figure)"> 176. ikenga (shrine figure), lukasa (memory board)"> 177. lukasa (memory board).

• 178. Aka elephant mask

byeri )"> 179. Reliquary figure ( byeri )

180. veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (opo ogoga), 180. (related) olowe of ise, veranda post, content area 7, west and central asia | 500 b.c.e.–1980 c.e., 181. petra, jordan: treasury and great temple, 181.a. petra and the treasury, 181.b. petra and the great temple, 181.c. petra: unesco siq project.

• 182. Buddha, Bamiyan
• 183. The Kaaba
• 184. Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple
• 185. Dome of the Rock
• 186. Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh), Isfahan
• 187. Folio from a Qur’an

Baptistère de Saint Louis ), Mohammed ibn al-Zain"> 188. Basin ( Baptistère de Saint Louis ), Mohammed ibn al-Zain

Bahram gur fights the karg , folio from the great il-khanid shahnama "> 189. bahram gur fights the karg , folio from the great il-khanid shahnama, 189. related folio from a shahnama, the bier of iskandar (alexander the great), the court of gayumars , folio from shah tahmasp’s shahnama "> 190. the court of gayumars , folio from shah tahmasp’s shahnama, 190. (related) making and mutilating manuscripts of the shahnama.

• 191. The Ardabil Carpet

Content Area 8

South, east, and southeast asia | 300 b.c.e.–1980 c.e..

• 192. Great Stupa at Sanchi

193. Terra cotta warriors from mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China

193. (related) the tomb of the first emperor, 194. funeral banner of lady dai (xin zhui), 194. (related) the tomb of lady dai.

• 195. Longmen caves

196. Gold and jade crown

Gold crown and gold belt from the north mound of hwangnamdaechong tomb gold crown and gold belt from the north mound of hwangnamdaechong tomb.

• 197. Tōdai-ji
• 198. Borobudur Temple

199. Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat

199. the city of angkor thom, 199. bayon temple.

• 200. Lakshmana Temple

Travelers among Mountains and Streams , Fan Kuan"> 201. Travelers among Mountains and Streams , Fan Kuan

• 202. Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Nataraja)

Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace "> 203. Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace

• 204. The David Vases
• 205. Portrait of Sin Sukju (1417–1475)
• 206. Forbidden City
• 207. Ryōan-ji

Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , Bichitr"> 208. Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , Bichitr

• 209. Taj Mahal

Red and White Plum Blossoms , Ogata Kōrin"> 210. Red and White Plum Blossoms , Ogata Kōrin

Under the wave off kanagawa (kanagawa oki nami ura) , also known as the great wave , from the series thirty-six views of mount fuji , katsushika hokusai"> 211. under the wave off kanagawa (kanagawa oki nami ura) , also known as the great wave , from the series thirty-six views of mount fuji , katsushika hokusai, chairman mao en route to anyuan , liu chunhua"> 212. chairman mao en route to anyuan , liu chunhua, content area 9, the pacific | 700–1980 c.e..

• 213. Nan Madol

ahu )"> 214. Moai on platform ( ahu )

214.a. easter island moai, ‘ahu ‘ula (feather cape)"> 215. ‘ahu ‘ula (feather cape).

• 216. Staff god
• 217. Female deity
• 218. Buk (mask)
• 219. Hiapo (tapa)

Tamati Waka Nene , Gottfried Lindauer"> 220. Tamati Waka Nene , Gottfried Lindauer

• 221. Navigation chart
• 222. Malagan display and mask
• 223. Presentation of Fijian Mats and Tapa Cloths to Queen Elizabeth II

Content Area 10

Global contemporary | 1980 c.e. to present, the gates , christo and jeanne-claude"> 224. the gates , christo and jeanne-claude.

• 225. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Maya Lin

Horn Players , Jean-Michel Basquiat"> 226. Horn Players , Jean-Michel Basquiat

Summer trees , song su-nam"> 227. summer trees , song su-nam, androgyne iii , magdalena abakanowicz"> 228. androgyne iii , magdalena abakanowicz, a book from the sky , xu bing"> 229. a book from the sky , xu bing, pink panther , jeff koons"> 230. pink panther , jeff koons, untitled #228 , cindy sherman"> 231. untitled #228 , cindy sherman, dancing at the louvre , from the series the french collection , part 1; #1, faith ringgold"> 232. dancing at the louvre , from the series the french collection , part 1; #1, faith ringgold, trade (gifts for trading land with white people) , jaune quick-to-see smith"> 233. trade (gifts for trading land with white people) , jaune quick-to-see smith, earth’s creation , emily kame kngwarreye"> 234. earth’s creation , emily kame kngwarreye, rebellious silence , from the women of allah series, shirin neshat (artist); photo by cynthia preston"> 235. rebellious silence , from the women of allah series, shirin neshat (artist); photo by cynthia preston, en la barberia no se llora (no crying allowed in the barbershop) , pepón osorio"> 236. en la barberia no se llora (no crying allowed in the barbershop) , pepón osorio, pisupo lua afe (corned beef 2000) , michel tuffery"> 237. pisupo lua afe (corned beef 2000) , michel tuffery, electronic superhighway , nam june paik"> 238. electronic superhighway , nam june paik, the crossing , bill viola"> 239. the crossing , bill viola.

• 240. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Frank Gehry

Pure Land , Mariko Mori"> 241. Pure Land , Mariko Mori

Lying with the wolf , kiki smith"> 242. lying with the wolf , kiki smith, darkytown rebellion , kara walker"> 243. darkytown rebellion , kara walker, the swing (after fragonard) , yinka shonibare"> 244. the swing (after fragonard) , yinka shonibare, old man’s cloth , el anatsui"> 245. old man’s cloth , el anatsui, untitled , el anatsui"> 245. (related) untitled , el anatsui, stadia ii , julie mehretu"> 246. stadia ii , julie mehretu, preying mantra , wangechi mutu"> 247. preying mantra , wangechi mutu, shibboleth , doris salcedo"> 248. shibboleth , doris salcedo.

• 249. MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, Zaha Hadid

Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) , Ai Weiwei"> 250. Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) , Ai Weiwei

Apollo 11 Cave Stones c. 25,500–25,300 B.C.E., Namibia (photo: State Museum of Namibia)

• Origins of rock art in Africa
• Running Horned Woman "> Running Horned Woman ">4. Running Horned Woman
• cong "> cong ">7. Jade cong

Remains of the Anu Ziggurat, c. 3517–3358 B.C.E., from Uruk (modern Warka) (photo: Geoff Emberling, by permission)

• Seated scribe "> Seated scribe ">15. Seated scribe
• Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq)"> Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq)">16. Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq)
• Pyramid of Khufu
• Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Sphinx
• Pyramid of Menkaure
• The Code of Hammurabi "> The Code of Hammurabi ">19. The Code of Hammurabi
• Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters "> Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters ">22. Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and three daughters
• Book of the Dead )"> Book of the Dead )">24. Last judgment of Hunefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead )
• Anavysos Kouros "> Anavysos Kouros ">27. Anavysos Kouros
• Peplos Kore from the Acropolis"> Peplos Kore from the Acropolis">28. Peplos Kore from the Acropolis
• Sarcophagus of the Spouses "> Sarcophagus of the Spouses ">29. Sarcophagus of the Spouses
• Capital of a column from the audience hall of the palace of Darius I, Susa
• Tomb of the Triclinium "> Tomb of the Triclinium ">32. Tomb of the Triclinium
• Niobides Krater "> Niobides Krater ">33. Niobides Krater
• Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) , Polykleitos"> Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) , Polykleitos">34. Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) , Polykleitos
• Parthenon sculptures (pediments, metopes and frieze)
• Who owns the Parthenon sculptures?
• Plaque of the Ergastines , 445–438 B.C.E., Classical Period, fragment from a frieze on the Parthenon, Athens, Greece (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label=" Plaque of the Ergastines "> Plaque of the Ergastines
• The Many Lives of the Parthenon
• Nike Adjusting Her Sandal , Temple of Athena Nike, c. 410 B.C.E., Classical Period, from the Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, Greece (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Nike Adjusting Her Sandal from the Temple of Athena Nike"> Nike Adjusting Her Sandal from the Temple of Athena Nike
• Grave stele of Hegeso "> Grave stele of Hegeso ">36. Grave stele of Hegeso
• Winged Victory of Samothrace "> Winged Victory of Samothrace ">37. Winged Victory of Samothrace
• Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii"> Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii">40. Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii
• Seated Boxer "> Seated Boxer ">41. Seated Boxer
• Veristic male portrait
• Augustus of Prima Porta "> Augustus of Prima Porta ">43. Augustus of Prima Porta
• Column of Trajan
• Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus "> Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus ">47. Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus

Detail of the Cubiculum of the Veiled Woman, Catacomb of Priscilla, late 2nd century–4th century C.E., Late Antique Europe, Rome, Italy

• Vienna Genesis , folio 12v, early 6th century, Early Byzantine Europe" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Jacob Wrestling the Angel"> Jacob Wrestling the Angel
• Vienna Genesis , folio 7 recto, early 6th century, Early Byzantine Europe" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well"> Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well
• Empress Theodora, rhetoric, and Byzantine primary sources
• Theotokos mosaic , 867, Middle Byzantine Europe, apse of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Theotokos mosaic "> Theotokos mosaic
• Deësis (Christ with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist) , c. 1261, Late Byzantine Europe, at the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Deësis mosaic "> Deësis mosaic
• Hagia Sophia as a mosque
• Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George "> Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George ">54. Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George
• Lindisfarne Gospels : St. Matthew, cross-carpet page; St. Luke portrait page; St. Luke incipit page"> Lindisfarne Gospels : St. Matthew, cross-carpet page; St. Luke portrait page; St. Luke incipit page">55. Lindisfarne Gospels : St. Matthew, cross-carpet page; St. Luke portrait page; St. Luke incipit page
• Bayeux Tapestry "> Bayeux Tapestry ">59. Bayeux Tapestry
• Moralized Bible (Paris-Oxford-London))
• Röttgen Pietà "> Röttgen Pietà ">62. Röttgen Pietà
• Introduction
• Fresco cycle
• Lamentation "> Lamentation
• Last Judgment "> Last Judgment
• The Arena Chapel in virtual reality
• Golden Haggadah (The Plagues of Egypt, Scenes of Liberation, and Preparation for Passover)"> Golden Haggadah (The Plagues of Egypt, Scenes of Liberation, and Preparation for Passover)">64. Golden Haggadah (The Plagues of Egypt, Scenes of Liberation, and Preparation for Passover)
• Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) , Workshop of Robert Campin"> Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) , Workshop of Robert Campin">66. Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) , Workshop of Robert Campin
• The Arnolfini Portrait , 1434, Northern Renaissance (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about The question of pregnancy in The Arnolfini Portrait "> The question of pregnancy in The Arnolfini Portrait
• David , Donatello"> David , Donatello">69. David , Donatello
• Madonna and Child with Two Angels , Fra Filippo Lippi"> Madonna and Child with Two Angels , Fra Filippo Lippi">71. Madonna and Child with Two Angels , Fra Filippo Lippi
• Birth of Venus , Sandro Botticelli"> Birth of Venus , Sandro Botticelli">72. Birth of Venus , Sandro Botticelli
• Last Supper , Leonardo da Vinci"> Last Supper , Leonardo da Vinci">73. Last Supper , Leonardo da Vinci
• Adam and Eve , 1504, Renaissance, Germany" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about More about Adam and Eve "> More about Adam and Eve
• Studies for the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Studies for the Libyan Sibyl and a small Sketch for a Seated Figure (verso), Michelangelo
• Last Judgment , 1534–1541, High Renaissance, altar wall, Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome (photo: Richard Mortel, CC BY 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Altar wall, Last Judgment "> Altar wall, Last Judgment
• Self Portrait , 1504–05" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Raphael, an introduction"> Raphael, an introduction
• Isenheim Altarpiece , Matthias Grünewald"> Isenheim Altarpiece , Matthias Grünewald">77. Isenheim Altarpiece , Matthias Grünewald
• Entombment of Christ , Jacopo da Pontormo"> Entombment of Christ , Jacopo da Pontormo">78. Entombment of Christ , Jacopo da Pontormo
• Allegory of Law and Grace , Lucas Cranach the Elder"> Allegory of Law and Grace , Lucas Cranach the Elder">79. Allegory of Law and Grace , Lucas Cranach the Elder
• Venus of Urbino , Titian"> Venus of Urbino , Titian">80. Venus of Urbino , Titian
• Codex Mendoza "> Codex Mendoza ">81. Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza
• Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco"> Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco">82. Il Gesù, including Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco
• Hunters in the Snow , Pieter Bruegel the Elder"> Hunters in the Snow , Pieter Bruegel the Elder">83. Hunters in the Snow , Pieter Bruegel the Elder
• Calling of St. Matthew , Caravaggio"> Calling of St. Matthew , Caravaggio">85. Calling of St. Matthew , Caravaggio
• Henri IV Receives the Portrait of of Marie de’Medici , from the Marie de’Medici Cycle, Peter Paul Rubens"> Henri IV Receives the Portrait of of Marie de’Medici , from the Marie de’Medici Cycle, Peter Paul Rubens">86. Henri IV Receives the Portrait of of Marie de’Medici , from the Marie de’Medici Cycle, Peter Paul Rubens
• Self-Portrait with Saskia , Rembrandt van Rijn"> Self-Portrait with Saskia , Rembrandt van Rijn">87. Self-Portrait with Saskia , Rembrandt van Rijn
• Ecstasy of Saint Teresa , Gian Lorenzo Bernini"> Ecstasy of Saint Teresa , Gian Lorenzo Bernini">89. Ecstasy of Saint Teresa , Gian Lorenzo Bernini
• Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei , Master of Calamarca"> Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei , Master of Calamarca">90. Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei , Master of Calamarca
• Las Meninas , Diego Velázquez"> Las Meninas , Diego Velázquez">91. Las Meninas , Diego Velázquez
• Woman Holding a Balance , Johannes Vermeer"> Woman Holding a Balance , Johannes Vermeer">92. Woman Holding a Balance , Johannes Vermeer
• Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene "> Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene ">94. Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene
• Virgin of Guadalupe , late 17th century, New Spain (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Virgin of Guadalupe "> Virgin of Guadalupe
• Fruit and Insects , Rachel Ruysch"> Fruit and Insects , Rachel Ruysch">96. Fruit and Insects , Rachel Ruysch
• Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo , attributed to Juan Rodríguez Juárez"> Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo , attributed to Juan Rodríguez Juárez">97. Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo , attributed to Juan Rodríguez Juárez
• The Tête à Tête , from Marriage a la Mode , William Hogarth"> The Tête à Tête , from Marriage a la Mode , William Hogarth">98. The Tête à Tête , from Marriage a la Mode , William Hogarth

Miguel Cabrera, Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (detail), c. 1750, New Spain

• Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz , Miguel Cabrera "> Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz , Miguel Cabrera ">99. Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz , Miguel Cabrera
• A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery , Joseph Wright of Derby"> A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery , Joseph Wright of Derby">100. A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery , Joseph Wright of Derby
• The Swing , Jean-Honoré Fragonard"> The Swing , Jean-Honoré Fragonard">101. The Swing , Jean-Honoré Fragonard
• The Oath of the Horatii , Jacques-Louis David"> The Oath of the Horatii , Jacques-Louis David">103. The Oath of the Horatii , Jacques-Louis David
• George Washington , Jean-Antoine Houdon"> George Washington , Jean-Antoine Houdon">104. George Washington , Jean-Antoine Houdon
• Self-Portrait , Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun"> Self-Portrait , Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun">105. Self-Portrait , Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun
• Y no hai remedio (And There’s Nothing to Be Done) , from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War) , plate 15, Francesco de Goya"> Y no hai remedio (And There’s Nothing to Be Done) , from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War) , plate 15, Francesco de Goya">106. Y no hai remedio (And There’s Nothing to Be Done) , from Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War) , plate 15, Francesco de Goya
• La Grande Odalisque , Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres"> La Grande Odalisque , Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres">107. La Grande Odalisque , Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
• Liberty Leading the People , Eugène Delacroix"> Liberty Leading the People , Eugène Delacroix">108. Liberty Leading the People , Eugène Delacroix
• The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) , Thomas Cole"> The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) , Thomas Cole">109. The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) , Thomas Cole
• Still Life in Studio , Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre"> Still Life in Studio , Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre">110. Still Life in Studio , Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre
• Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) , J.M.W. Turner"> Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) , J.M.W. Turner">111. Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) , J.M.W. Turner
• The Stone Breakers , Gustave Courbet"> The Stone Breakers , Gustave Courbet">113. The Stone Breakers , Gustave Courbet
• Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art , Honoré Daumier"> Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art , Honoré Daumier">114. Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art , Honoré Daumier
• Olympia , Édouard Manet"> Olympia , Édouard Manet">115. Olympia , Édouard Manet
• The Saint-Lazare Station , Claude Monet"> The Saint-Lazare Station , Claude Monet">116. The Saint-Lazare Station , Claude Monet
• The Horse in Motion , Eadweard Muybridge"> The Horse in Motion , Eadweard Muybridge">117. The Horse in Motion , Eadweard Muybridge
• The Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel (El Valle de México desde el Cerro de Santa Isabel) , José María Velasco"> The Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel (El Valle de México desde el Cerro de Santa Isabel) , José María Velasco">118. The Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel (El Valle de México desde el Cerro de Santa Isabel) , José María Velasco
• The Burghers of Calais , Auguste Rodin"> The Burghers of Calais , Auguste Rodin">119. The Burghers of Calais , Auguste Rodin
• The Starry Night , Vincent van Gogh"> The Starry Night , Vincent van Gogh">120. The Starry Night , Vincent van Gogh
• The Coiffure , Mary Cassatt"> The Coiffure , Mary Cassatt">121. The Coiffure , Mary Cassatt
• The Scream , Edvard Munch"> The Scream , Edvard Munch">122. The Scream , Edvard Munch
• Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? , Paul Gauguin"> Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? , Paul Gauguin">123. Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? , Paul Gauguin
• Mont Sainte-Victoire , Paul Cézanne"> Mont Sainte-Victoire , Paul Cézanne">125. Mont Sainte-Victoire , Paul Cézanne
• Les Demoiselles d’Avignon , Pablo Picasso"> Les Demoiselles d’Avignon , Pablo Picasso">126. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon , Pablo Picasso
• The Steerage , Alfred Stieglitz"> The Steerage , Alfred Stieglitz">127. The Steerage , Alfred Stieglitz
• The Kiss , Gustav Klimt"> The Kiss , Gustav Klimt">128. The Kiss , Gustav Klimt
• The Kiss , Constantin Brancusi"> The Kiss , Constantin Brancusi">129. The Kiss , Constantin Brancusi
• The Guitarist , 1910, Cubism (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Pablo Picasso and the new language of Cubism"> Pablo Picasso and the new language of Cubism
• Goldfish , Henri Matisse"> Goldfish , Henri Matisse">131. Goldfish , Henri Matisse
• Improvisation 28 (second version) , Vasily Kandinsky"> Improvisation 28 (second version) , Vasily Kandinsky">132. Improvisation 28 (second version) , Vasily Kandinsky
• Self-Portrait As a Soldier , Ernst Ludwig Kirchner"> Self-Portrait As a Soldier , Ernst Ludwig Kirchner">133. Self-Portrait As a Soldier , Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
• Memorial Sheet of Karl Liebknecht , Käthe Kollwitz"> Memorial Sheet of Karl Liebknecht , Käthe Kollwitz">134. Memorial Sheet of Karl Liebknecht , Käthe Kollwitz
• Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow , Piet Mondrian"> Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow , Piet Mondrian">136. Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow , Piet Mondrian
• The Results of the First Five-Year Plan , Varvara Stepanova"> The Results of the First Five-Year Plan , Varvara Stepanova">137. Illustration from The Results of the First Five-Year Plan , Varvara Stepanova
• Object (Le Déjeuner en fourrure) , Meret Oppenheim"> Object (Le Déjeuner en fourrure) , Meret Oppenheim">138. Object (Le Déjeuner en fourrure) , Meret Oppenheim
• The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) , Frida Kahlo"> The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) , Frida Kahlo">140. The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) , Frida Kahlo
• The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 , Jacob Lawrence"> The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 , Jacob Lawrence">141. The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 , Jacob Lawrence
• The Jungle , Wilfredo Lam"> The Jungle , Wilfredo Lam">142. The Jungle , Wilfredo Lam
• Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park , Diego Rivera"> Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park , Diego Rivera">143. Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park , Diego Rivera
• Fountain (second version), Marcel Duchamp"> Fountain (second version), Marcel Duchamp">144. Fountain (second version), Marcel Duchamp
• Woman, I , Willem de Kooning"> Woman, I , Willem de Kooning">145. Woman, I , Willem de Kooning
• Marilyn Diptych , Andy Warhol"> Marilyn Diptych , Andy Warhol">147. Marilyn Diptych , Andy Warhol
• Narcissus Garden , Yayoi Kusama"> Narcissus Garden , Yayoi Kusama">148. Narcissus Garden , Yayoi Kusama
• The Bay , Helen Frankenthaler"> The Bay , Helen Frankenthaler">149. The Bay , Helen Frankenthaler
• Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks , Claes Oldenburg"> Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks , Claes Oldenburg">150. Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks , Claes Oldenburg
• Spiral Jetty , Robert Smithson"> Spiral Jetty , Robert Smithson">151. Spiral Jetty , Robert Smithson

Chavín de Huántar, 900–200 B.C.E., Peru (photo: Sharon odb, CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Yaxchilán Lintels
• The Coyolxauhqui Stone
• The Calendar Stone
• Olmec-style mask
• What is a bandolier bag?

Conical Tower, Great Zimbabwe, c. 1000–1400 C.E., Shona people, Southeastern Zimbabwe (photo: Mandy, CC BY 2.0)

• Benin plaques
• Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul"> Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul">171. Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul
• Nkisi n'kondi )"> Nkisi n'kondi )">172. Power figure ( Nkisi n'kondi )
• pwo ) mask"> pwo ) mask">173. Female ( pwo ) mask
• Mblo )"> Mblo )">174. Portrait mask ( Mblo )
• Bundu mask"> Bundu mask">175. Bundu mask
• Ikenga (shrine figure)"> Ikenga (shrine figure)">176. Ikenga (shrine figure)
• Lukasa (memory board)"> Lukasa (memory board)">177. Lukasa (memory board)
• byeri )"> byeri )">179. Reliquary figure ( byeri )
• Olowe of Ise, veranda post

Tombs at Petra (Jordan), c. 400 B.C.E–100 C.E., Nabataean (photo: Dennis Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Petra and the Treasury
• Petra and the Great Temple
• Petra: UNESCO Siq Project
• Baptistère de Saint Louis ), Mohammed ibn al-Zain"> Baptistère de Saint Louis ), Mohammed ibn al-Zain">188. Basin ( Baptistère de Saint Louis ), Mohammed ibn al-Zain
• Folio from a Shahnama, The Bier of Iskandar (Alexander the Great)
• Making and Mutilating Manuscripts of the Shahnama

Great Stupa at Sanchi, 3rd century B.C.E.–1st century C.E., Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India (photo: AyushDwivedi1947, CC BY-SA 4.0)

• The Tomb of the First Emperor
• The Tomb of Lady Dai
• Gold crown and gold belt from the north mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb
• The city of Angkor Thom
• Bayon Temple
• Travelers among Mountains and Streams , Fan Kuan"> Travelers among Mountains and Streams , Fan Kuan">201. Travelers among Mountains and Streams , Fan Kuan
• Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace "> Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace ">203. Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace
• Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , Bichitr"> Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , Bichitr">208. Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaikh to Kings , Bichitr
• Red and White Plum Blossoms , Ogata Kōrin"> Red and White Plum Blossoms , Ogata Kōrin">210. Red and White Plum Blossoms , Ogata Kōrin
• Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) , also known as The Great Wave , from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji , Katsushika Hokusai"> Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) , also known as The Great Wave , from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji , Katsushika Hokusai">211. Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) , also known as The Great Wave , from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji , Katsushika Hokusai
• Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan , Liu Chunhua"> Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan , Liu Chunhua">212. Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan , Liu Chunhua

Nan Madol, 13th-17th century C.E., Pohnpei, The Federated States of Micronesia (photo: CT Snow, CC BY 2.0)

• Hoa Hakananai’a (‘lost or stolen friend’), Moai (ancestor figure), c. 1200 C.E., likely made in Rano Kao, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), found in the ceremonial center Orongo © Trustees of the British Museum" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Easter Island Moai"> Easter Island Moai
• ‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)"> ‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)">215. ‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)
• Tamati Waka Nene , Gottfried Lindauer"> Tamati Waka Nene , Gottfried Lindauer">220. Tamati Waka Nene , Gottfried Lindauer

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Gates , 1979-2005 (view across the pond looking southeast) (photo: © 2005 Christo and Jeanne-Claude

• The Gates , Christo and Jeanne-Claude"> The Gates , Christo and Jeanne-Claude">224. The Gates , Christo and Jeanne-Claude
• Horn Players , Jean-Michel Basquiat"> Horn Players , Jean-Michel Basquiat">226. Horn Players , Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Summer Trees , Song Su-Nam"> Summer Trees , Song Su-Nam">227. Summer Trees , Song Su-Nam
• Androgyne III , Magdalena Abakanowicz"> Androgyne III , Magdalena Abakanowicz">228. Androgyne III , Magdalena Abakanowicz
• A Book from the Sky , Xu Bing"> A Book from the Sky , Xu Bing">229. A Book from the Sky , Xu Bing
• Pink Panther , Jeff Koons"> Pink Panther , Jeff Koons">230. Pink Panther , Jeff Koons
• Untitled #228 , Cindy Sherman"> Untitled #228 , Cindy Sherman">231. Untitled #228 , Cindy Sherman
• Dancing at the Louvre , from the series The French Collection , part 1; #1, Faith Ringgold"> Dancing at the Louvre , from the series The French Collection , part 1; #1, Faith Ringgold">232. Dancing at the Louvre , from the series The French Collection , part 1; #1, Faith Ringgold
• Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) , Jaune Quick-to-See Smith"> Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) , Jaune Quick-to-See Smith">233. Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People) , Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
• Earth’s Creation , Emily Kame Kngwarreye"> Earth’s Creation , Emily Kame Kngwarreye">234. Earth’s Creation , Emily Kame Kngwarreye
• Rebellious Silence , from the Women of Allah series, Shirin Neshat (artist); photo by Cynthia Preston"> Rebellious Silence , from the Women of Allah series, Shirin Neshat (artist); photo by Cynthia Preston">235. Rebellious Silence , from the Women of Allah series, Shirin Neshat (artist); photo by Cynthia Preston
• En la barberia no se llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop) , Pepón Osorio"> En la barberia no se llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop) , Pepón Osorio">236. En la barberia no se llora (No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop) , Pepón Osorio
• Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000) , Michel Tuffery"> Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000) , Michel Tuffery">237. Pisupo Lua Afe (Corned Beef 2000) , Michel Tuffery
• Electronic Superhighway , Nam June Paik"> Electronic Superhighway , Nam June Paik">238. Electronic Superhighway , Nam June Paik
• The Crossing , Bill Viola"> The Crossing , Bill Viola">239. The Crossing , Bill Viola
• Pure Land , Mariko Mori"> Pure Land , Mariko Mori">241. Pure Land , Mariko Mori
• Lying with the Wolf , Kiki Smith"> Lying with the Wolf , Kiki Smith">242. Lying with the Wolf , Kiki Smith
• Darkytown Rebellion , Kara Walker"> Darkytown Rebellion , Kara Walker">243. Darkytown Rebellion , Kara Walker
• The Swing (After Fragonard) , Yinka Shonibare"> The Swing (After Fragonard) , Yinka Shonibare">244. The Swing (After Fragonard) , Yinka Shonibare
• Untitled , 2009 (photo: Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)" target="_blank" aria-label="Link to more about Untitled , El Anatsui"> Untitled , El Anatsui
• Stadia II , Julie Mehretu"> Stadia II , Julie Mehretu">246. Stadia II , Julie Mehretu
• Preying Mantra , Wangechi Mutu"> Preying Mantra , Wangechi Mutu">247. Preying Mantra , Wangechi Mutu
• Shibboleth , Doris Salcedo"> Shibboleth , Doris Salcedo">248. Shibboleth , Doris Salcedo
• Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) , Ai Weiwei"> Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) , Ai Weiwei">250. Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) , Ai Weiwei

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