History of Art A-level

History of Art begins with a thorough grounding in the European tradition of art and architecture beginning with the architectural orders and sculptural developments of ancient Greece. Learners then go on to explore the themes of Identities and War. Art and architecture have played an important role in the expression of identity for many thousands of years; and continue to do so in more modern and instant forms such as ‘the selfie’.  Works we are exposed to shape the way we understand ethnicity, nationality and gender, and our focus here would be on how both individuals and communities/nations shape and represent identities – this is a fantastically relevant topic for our modern world. A rich variety of art and architectural works from across the world: Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa will be studied in-depth across these two themes. Learners also have the opportunity to look at two time periods in depth; this will include an exploration of Renaissance Italy (from Michelangelo to Leonardo Da Vinci); and either the Baroque, or the British and French Avant-Garde.

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History of Art is similar to other Humanities subjects. Students are required to read extensively and to develop essay skills. Exams are essay-based, and an understanding of the historical, political and cultural settings for the works studied is required.

Unlike most other Humanities A Levels, History of Art has a focus on visual material. Though there is a similar focus in Classical Civilisation in one of the year 2 modules.