Unit I * The Ancient World
Art of the Ancient World
includes the art from the Prehistoric, the Ancient Near East,
Ancient Egypt, the Aegean, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Civilizations.
Unit II * The Middle Ages
Western European Art of the Middle Ages
includes the Early Medieval Period, the Romanesque,
and the Gothic.
Unit III * The Renaissance and the Baroque
The term renaissance ("rebirth")
originated as a means to define the period when man emerged from the "intellectual and
cultural stagnation" of the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance there was a revival of classical learing.
Artistically, the Renaissance represents a time of keen observation of people and nature and an interest
in individual personalities.
The artistic style that emerged in Europe during the seventeenth century was called the Baroque.
The characteristics of the Baroque were open compositions that create a sensation of a
diagonal movement in space, rich colors, and dramatic contrasts of light and dark.
Unit IV * The Modern World
According to art historian and author Marilyn Stokstad, "The United States stature after
World War II as the most powerful democratic nation was soon reflected in the arts. American
artists and architects assumed leadership in artistic innovation that by the late 1950's was
acknowledged across the Atlantic, even in Paris. American dominance lasted until the 1970's. It was then, that there
emerged a belief in the existence of a single dominant line of artistic development."
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