Art Appreciation

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Credits: .5  (90-lesson course, There is a 90-lesson Music Appreciation course that could be paired with this for a full-year credit.)

Course Description: Students will analyze art work and produce written art criticism as they learn about artists and view a wide range of works from the Gothic period through World War II.

Lesson 1* (Note that an asterisk * indicates that there is a worksheet on this lesson)

Welcome to your first day of school! I wanted to give you one important reminder before you begin. Many of your lessons below have an internet link for you to click on. When you go to the different internet pages for your lessons, please DO NOT click on anything else on that page except what the directions tell you to. DO NOT click on any advertisements or games. DO NOT click on anything that takes you to a different website. Just stay focused on your lesson and then close that window and you should be right back here for the next lesson. Okay?

  1. If you didn’t get here through My EP Assignments, I suggest you go there and create an account.

If a link is not working to follow the steps on the FAQ page.

  1. *For this course, keep it simple. Print off one of the daily progress charts  and every day just check off a box showing that the work was done to satisfaction – if you completed the work satisfactorily! At the end of the course your grade will be determined by the number of check marks and a final test.
  2. Read the introduction.
  3. Read through the links on the “Tools” page (alternate) and answer question one on the study guide.
  4. This is the end of your work for this course for your first day. You are allowed to move at your own pace (this is homeschooling), but it’s intended you complete one lesson a day.

Lesson 2

  1. Read “What is art?“
  2. Read about aesthetic perception. (This may give you a “not secure” warning, but it is a safe site. You can click to continue.)
  3. Read “Perceiving Subtle Qualities” and do the “check your understanding” activity.
  4. Search the art museum for the same hue. Write down where you find it. There are several ways to tour the museum. You might want to use the artist names and bounce around.

Lesson 3

  1. Read about imaginative seeing and do the “check your understanding” activity.

Lesson 4

  1. Read perceiving with more than your eyes and do the “check your understanding” activity.
  2. Answer questions 2, 3 and 4 on the study guide.

Lesson 5

  1. Read “Art Criticism” and answer questions 5, 6 and 7 on the study guide.

Lesson 6

  1. Read this page on art criticism and try out the steps on this artwork. (Parasole, graphic art)
  2. Where was your analysis limited?

Lesson 7

  1. Read this introduction to philosophies of art.
  2. Read “Art as Imitation.”
  3. How is this painting fit this philosophy? (Kauffman, self-portrait)

Lesson 8

  1. Read about art as expression.
  2. How does this painting fit this philosophy?  (Gris, Picasso)

Lesson 9

  1. Read about art as a formal order.
  2. How does this painting fit this philosophy?  (Paolini)

Lesson 10

  1. Read about art as instrumental.
  2. How does this painting fit this philosophy? (Magritte)

Lesson 11

  1. Read the summary page.
  2. Finish the questions on the study guide.

Lesson 12

  1. This is what we will do doing in this course. We will look at artwork and offer our art criticism.
  2. Here are your daily guidelines.
  3. Review each of those steps, including your art terms.

Gothic

Lesson 13

  1. You are going to start with Matthias Grünewald. For each artist you should write down his name, period and the dates his work appear. If you want to print out a page to keep your artists on you can. I suggest typing your daily paragraph, but you could also use notebooking pages.
  2. Today you will look at and write about The Meeting of St Anthony Abbot and St Paul in the Wilderness.

Lesson 14

  1.  Today you will look at and write about The Temptation of St Anthony.

Lesson 15

  1. The Isenheimer Altarpiece
  2. Don’t forget your daily guidelines.

Lesson 16

  1. Stuppach Madonna
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. (You can do this on every day.)

Lesson 17

  1. The Crucifixion

Lesson 18

  1. Read this page and click on the second thumbnail to see his Christ painting.
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Renaissance

Lesson 19

  1. Here are your daily guidelines.
  2. Read about Sandro Botticelli. Make sure you take notes on the artist to be able to review later.
  3. Today you will be looking at The Adoration of the Magi.
  4. Follow the guidelines to write a complete paragraph.

Lesson 20

  1. La Primavera

Lesson 21

  1. Madonna of the Magnificat

Lesson 22

  1. Madonna of the Pomegranate
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 23

  1. The Cestello Annunciation
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 24

  1. Here are your daily guidelines.
  2. Read about Raphael and complete your daily assignment using the painting listed below.
  3. Maddalena

Lesson 25

  1. St. George Fighting the Dragon

Lesson 26

  1. The small Cowper Madonna
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 27

  1. Bindo Altoviti
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 28

  1. Here are your daily guidelines.
  2. Read about Dürer, Albrecht.
  3. A Young Hare

Lesson 29

  1. The Large Turf

Lesson 30

  1. The Adoration of the Magi

Lesson 31

  1. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
  2. This one is different. It is an engraving.

Lesson 32

  1. Self-Portrait at 28
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Baroque

Lesson 33

  1. Here are your daily guidelines.
  2. Read about Rembrandt. Remember to be writing down some basic information about the artist.
  3. The Syndics of the Clothmaker’s Guild

Lesson 34

  1. The Night Watch — You can read other commentary on this.

Lesson 35

  1. The Return of the Prodigal Son
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 36

  1. Portrait of an Old Man

Lesson 37

  1. The Mill

Lesson 38

  1. Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer

Lesson 39

  1. Self-Portrait
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 40

  1. Self-Portrait
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.
  3. You should review the artists’ names, time periods, type of art and what works they are famous for.

Lesson 41

  1. Here are your daily guidelines.
  2. Read about Chardin.
  3. The Silver Goblet

Lesson 42

  1. The Silver Tureen

Lesson 43

  1. The Return from Market
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 44

  1. Boy Playing with Cards

Lesson 45

  1. Look at these Chardin paintings separated by date they were made. (Click on the Artists tab, navigate to C, and then choose Chardin around page 5. Look at both age ranges of images.) Can you spot any distinctions between his earlier and later works?
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 46

  1. Read about impressionism and Edgar Degas.
  2. The Dancing Class

Lesson 47

  1. Rehearsal of a Ballet on a Stage

Lesson 48

  1. Women Ironing  (more literally, “The Pressers”)

Lesson 49

  1. Concord’s Place
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 50

  1. Race Horses  You can read it and click on the picture to see it bigger.
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 51

  1. Read about Edouard Manet.
  2. Bench

Lesson 52

  1. Rest

Lesson 53

  1. The Railroad
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork.

Lesson 54

  1. The Waitress
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 55

  1. Read about Claude Monet.
  2. Choose one of his early impressionist paintings.

Lesson 56

  1. Choose one of his later impressionist paintings.

Lesson 57

  1. Choose one of his waterlilies paintings. (He’s very famous for these.)

Lesson 58

  1. Choose a painting from his last days.
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.
  3. You should review the artists’ names, time periods, type of art and what works they are famous for.

Lesson 59

  1. Read about Pierre-Auguste Renoir.  (By the way, when people refer to these artists, they just use their last name.)
  2. In the Meadow

Lesson 60

  1. Lady at the Piano
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. Include the use of at least one of these words in your write up. Try to do that every day.

Lesson 61

  1. Girl with a Watering Can

Lesson 62

  1. Young Women Talking
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 63

  1. We’re just going to look at one famous painting from this next artist.
  2. This painting is known as Whistler’s Mother by James Whistler.

Lesson 64

  1. Read about Vincent Van Gogh.
  2. Skull with Cigarette

Lesson 65

  1. Still Life with Four Sunflowers
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. Include the use of at least one of these words in your write up. Try to do that every day.

Lesson 66

  1. The Potato Eaters

Lesson 67

  1. The Starry Night
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 68

  1. Read about George Seurat.
  2. Sunday Afternoon …This is a very famous painting.
  3. You can read about this painting.

Lesson 69

  1. Lighthouse…
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. Include the use of at least one of these words in your write up. Try to do that every day.

Lesson 70

  1. Gray Weather
  2. You can read about this painting.

Lesson 71

  1. The Side Show
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 72

  1. Read about Paul Cezanne.
  2. Card Players

Lesson 73

  1. The Blue Vase
  2. You can read about this painting.

Lesson 74

  1. Still Life with Basket of Apples
  2. You can read about this painting.

Lesson 75

  1. The House with Cracked Walls
  2. You can read about this painting.
  3. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.
  4. You should review the artists’ names, time periods, type of art and what works they are famous for.

Lesson 76

  1. Read about Henri Matisse.
  2. Madame Matisse
  3. You can read about this painting.

Lesson 77

  1. The Music Lesson
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. Include the use of at least one of these words in your write up. Try to do that every day.

Lesson 78

  1. Two Figures Reclining in a Landscape

Lesson 79

  1. Two Girls…
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 80

  1. Read about expressionism.
  2. Read about cubism.
  3. Le Moulin

Lesson 81

  1. The Fourteenth of July

Lesson 82

  1. Woman Ironing
  2. Use the vocabulary and elements lists to help you “see” things in the artwork. Include the use of at least one of these words in your write up. Try to do that every day.

Lesson 83

  1. Here are two paintings to look at.
  2. You should be familiar with this artist. On your page list a few notes about how you would recognize his paintings and what you know of his style and philosophy. You should also know the general time period of his work.

Lesson 84

  1. Read about abstract art.
  2. Read about pure abstraction art.
  3. Read about abstract expressionism.
  4. You can follow the links on the pages to look at artwork.
  5. Choose one to write about.

Lesson 85

  1. Try one of Pollock’s paintings.
  2. You can read about this painting, Lavender Mist.

Lesson 86

  1. Read about the fantastic.
  2. Read about Henri Rousseu.
  3. The Sleeping Gypsy

Lesson 87

  1. Read about pre-war American painting.
  2. Read about Ed Hopper.
  3. Nighthawks

Lesson 88

  1. Sunday  by Ed Hopper

Lesson 89

  1. Go through the artists. Remind yourself of their works. You should be able to tell me what type of paintings each artist did and the general time period of their work. You should also be able to describe the basic types of art such as impressionism.

Lesson 90

  1. Take the final exam.
  2. Check your answers.
  3. My suggestion for deciding your final grade is as follows. Score one point for each completed day, if it was completed satisfactorily.
  4. Your final was 15 questions. Score 1 point for each one you got right.
  5. Add your scores together.
    • A = 90 and up
    • B = 80 – 89
    • C = 70 – 79
    • D = 60 – 69
    • Failing is below 60
  6. I recommend you take Music Appreciation next. It is another 90-lesson course.
  7. Take the poll.

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