Start here

Heads up! This course may be archived and/or unavailable.

This course is a part of AP®︎ Art History, a 13-course Topic series from Khan Academy.

Here's where you'll find a list of resources for all 250 AP objects in one place. Also some helpful material about dates and maps and how to look at art.

This course contains 10 segments:

Required works of art for AP* Art History

Why look at art?

Why look at art? This was the question we posed to several of our colleagues at a conference for museum professionals. Special thanks to Laura Mann, Anna Velez, an anonymous professional, and David Torgersen whose voices and insights are included here.

Common questions about dates

What maps tell us

Essay by Dr. Christina Connett 

How to do visual (formal) analysis in art history

Giovanni Bellini, Madonna of the Meadow, c. 1500, oil and egg on synthetic panel, transferred from wood, 67.3 x 86.4 cm (The National Gallery) Speakers: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris

Art historical analysis (painting), a basic introduction using Goya's Third of May, 1808

Francisco de Goya, Third of May, 1808, 1814, oil on canvas, 266 x 345.1 cm (Museo del Prado. Madrid)

A brief history of religion in art

Before we began putting art into museums, art mostly served as the visual counterpart to religious stories. Are these theological paintings, sculptures, textiles and illuminations from centuries ago still relevant to us? Jeremiah Dickey describes the evolution of art in the public eye and explains how the modern viewer can see the history of art as an ongoing global conversation. 

Is there a difference between art and craft?

Was da Vinci an artistic genius? Sure, but he was also born in the right place at the right time -- pre-Renaissance, Western artists got little individual credit for their work. And in many non-Western cultures, traditional forms have always been prized over innovation. So, where do we get our notions of art vs. craft? Laura Morelli traces the history of how we assign value to the visual arts. Lesson by Laura Morelli, animation by Sandro Katamashvili.

How art can help you analyze

Can art save lives? Not exactly, but our most prized professionals (doctors, nurses, police officers) can learn real world skills through art analysis. Studying art like René Magritte's Time Transfixed can enhance communication and analytical skills, with an emphasis on both the seen and unseen. Amy E. Herman explains why art historical training can prepare you for real world investigation. Lesson by Amy E. Herman, animation by Flaming Medusa Studios Inc.

Glossary