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Kenney Mencher

The history of art from Prehistory to the Early Renaissance

This is part one of a year-long college-level survey course in art history. This course covers art history from the Prehistoric Era to the beginning of the European Renaissance.

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The history of art from Prehistory to the Early Renaissance

This is part one of a year-long college-level survey course in art history. This course covers art history from the Prehistoric Era to the beginning of the European Renaissance.

This course also covers ancient non western art in the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

This course is designed as a basic college-level survey of art history. I provide an online textbook as well as study guides and worksheets.  This course covers the language used to discuss art.  A complete overview of art, culture, and architecture.

Each work is covered in depth, the works physical or formal properties are discussed such as technology used to create the work, color, medium, materials, composition, and shading.

The symbolism of each work is discussed and how to interpret the interrelationship of symbols in a work of art. 

This course is the actual content of a course I taught at an accredited college in California called Ohlone college.

I designed this course as a series of clear, non-jargon laden video lectures and texts designed to help any student who wants to pass AP art history and or any beginning level art history survey course.

  • To develop an awareness of the monuments, techniques and media used during these periods.

  • To discover the stylistic differences and modes of of expression peculiar to different cultures.

  • To introduce to the student, significant examples of the visual arts pertinent to gaining a working knowledge of Ancient Art and Architecture.

  • To prepare students for ensuing courses of Art History.

  • To increase a student's sensitivity to the art of both the European and non-western cultures.

  • Enroll now

    What's inside

    Learning objectives

    • Help you pass college.
    • Visit a museum or art gallery and know what you are talking about!
    • Impress your friends and lovers!
    • Pass any basic level art history class at the college level.

    Syllabus

    Udemy seems to change the extensions or file names of PDFs so here is how you fix it.

    The problem with PDFs is a holdover from when I first created this class.  (It's something Udemy won't fix.)

    I am working on fixing it. 

    I am currently rewriting the online text and adding it as additional resources to the individual resources.  As I move through each unit I will keep you updated, but, until I get it all done you will still have to follow some of the directions above for some units.

    Read more
    Neolithic Cultures: Native American Neolithic Cultures and Prehistoric Europe

     


    2 Navajo Art
    Art of the Northwest Coast of the Americas
    4 Prehistoric Art
    Who is Kenney Mencher (your teacher)?
    Mesoamerica
    Olmec Art
    Teotihuacan
    Mayan Art, Numbers, Glyphs, Ball Game and The Popol Vuh
    Mayan Art at Yaxchilan
    Mayan Art at Palenque
    Prehistoric Turkey and Historic Mesopotamia
    Gobekli Tepe (Neolithic Pre-Pottery Culture in Turkey)
    Fertile Crescent 1
    Fertile Crescent 2 Cuneiform
    Fertile Crescent 3 Typical Examples
    Fertile Crescent 4 Tomb Stuff Lady Puabi
    Fertile Crescent 5 Kings Naram Sin And Hammurabi
    Fertile Crescent 6 King Sargon

      PDF Document with additional info.

    Neolithic China and the Early Dynasties
    China Neolithic Era Banpo And Longshan
    Early Dynastic Chinese Art Large Concepts
    Early China Marquis Of Yi
    Early China Shaman Riding A Dragon Silk Banner
    Early Chinese Art Emperor Qin
    Early China The Han Dynasty Lady Dai
    Egyptian Art
    Egypt And The Birth Of Egyptology
    Egypt Geography History Mythology Part 1
    Egypt Geography History Mythology Part 2 Narmer And His Palette
    Egypt Snefru
    Egypt Zoser
    Egypt Snefru and his Three Pyramids
    Egypt Pyramids At Giza
    Egypt Akhenaton
    Egypt Tut
    Aegean Art And The Cyclades
    Cycladic Art

     One of the theories concerning the explosion or eruption at Santorini as being responsible for the destruction of Knossos seems to be false or questionable.  A more reliable theory, based on discoveries concerning the languages of Linear A and Linear B seems to support that Knossos changed hands around 1500 and the Mycenae may have taken over at this point.  I will be udating my videos soon to reflect this.

    Minoan Knossos
    Mycenaen Cities
    Greece
    Ancient Greek Pottery
    Early Ancient Greek Sculpture Part 1
    Early Ancient Greek Sculpture Part 2
    Classical Greek Sculpture and Platonic Philosophy
    Classical Greek Sculpture into the Late Hellenistic Phase
    Classic Greek Qualities Symmetry Order and Architecture
    The Nike Temple and Propylon
    The Parthenon
    The Erechtheion
    Early Greek Sculpture and Architecture
    Ancient Greece During its "Classic" or "Golden Age" Focus on the city Athens and its Acropolis
    "The Acropolis" The Panathenaic Concept and Victory
    "The Acropolis" The Parthenon and its Sculptures
    "The Acropolis" The Erectheion and its Caryatids
    Sculpture during the "Golden Age of Perikles"
    Late Hellenistic Art
    Plato and the "Allegory of the Cave"
    Rome
    Roman Sculpture
    The Ara Pacis
    The Colosseum in Rome
    The Pantheon
    The Arch of Titus
    Constantine's Basilica and Arch
    Pompeii Art, Architecture and Decoration Part 1 of 2
    Pompeii Art, Fresco and Bacchic Rites Part 2 of 2
    Roman Art and Architecture: Classic Roman Period Art
    Pompeii
    Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic Art
    Roman Art into Early Christian Art
    Byzantine Art Hagia Sofia
    Byzantine Art at San Vitale
    Islamic Art
    Romanesque and Gothic Art
    Art and the Feudal System
    Captioned Art and the Feudal System
    Romanesque Art
    Captioned Romanesque Art
    Romanesque Gislebertus Last Judgment
    Gothic Art and Architecture
    Late Gothic into the Proto Renaissance
    Captioned Late Gothic into the Proto Renaissance
    Look for my next class "Renaissance through Contemporary Art" that I'll be adding soon.
    Online Text Book (Complete without Breaks) 600+ pages

    Good to know

    Know what's good
    , what to watch for
    , and possible dealbreakers
    Covers the history of art from Prehistory to the Early Renaissance, providing a comprehensive overview of art, culture, and architecture
    Taught by Kenney Mencher, a lecturer who has experience teaching art history at an accredited college
    Designed as a basic college-level survey of art history, with a focus on the language used to discuss art
    Explores ancient non-western art in the Americas, Asia, and Africa, providing a global perspective on art history
    Provides an in-depth analysis of each artwork, discussing its physical properties, symbolism, and interrelationship of symbols
    Follows a clear and jargon-free approach, making it accessible to students of all levels

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    Activities

    Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Art History Prehistory to the Renaissance with these activities:
    Read 'The Story of Art' by Gombrich
    Familiarize yourself with the history and evolution of Western art by reading a comprehensive survey text.
    Show steps
    • Obtain a copy of 'The Story of Art' by E. H. Gombrich.
    • Read the book from beginning to end.
    • Take notes or highlight important concepts and ideas.
    • Discuss key aspects of the book with classmates or colleagues.
    Participate in Class Discussions
    Engage actively in class discussions to enrich your perspectives, ask questions, and gain insights from your peers.
    Show steps
    • Prepare for class discussions by reading the assigned materials.
    • Come to class prepared to share your thoughts and ideas.
    • Listen attentively to others' perspectives and ask clarifying questions.
    Create an Art History Timeline
    Reinforce your understanding of the chronological sequence of major art movements and periods by creating a visual timeline.
    Show steps
    • Gather information about significant art movements and periods.
    • Choose a timeline format and decide how to present the information.
    • Create a visual representation of the timeline.
    • Annotate the timeline with relevant details and dates.
    Three other activities
    Expand to see all activities and additional details
    Show all six activities
    Visit a Local Art Museum or Gallery
    Gain firsthand experience with artwork and deepen your understanding of the styles, techniques, and historical context presented in class.
    Show steps
    • Find a local art museum or gallery that is relevant to the course content.
    • Visit the museum or gallery and explore the exhibitions.
    • Take notes or sketch artworks that particularly resonate with you.
    • Reflect on your experience and relate it to the concepts discussed in class.
    Write an Essay on the Symbolism of a Specific Artwork
    Develop your critical thinking and analytical skills by examining the symbolism and meaning behind a chosen artwork.
    Show steps
    • Select an artwork that interests you.
    • Research the artist, historical context, and cultural significance of the artwork.
    • Identify the key symbols and motifs present in the artwork.
    • Write an essay that interprets and discusses the symbolism of the artwork.
    Design a Virtual Art Gallery
    Combine your understanding of art and technology by creating a virtual gallery that showcases a specific theme or collection.
    Show steps
    • Conceptualize the theme or focus of the virtual gallery.
    • Gather digital images or 3D models of relevant artworks.
    • Design and develop the virtual gallery platform.
    • Upload and arrange the artworks within the virtual gallery.
    • Write descriptive labels and provide interactive features for visitors.

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