Introduction to Art History (Community College)

More than just Ninja Turtles.

Did you ever have a classmate who was really into gaming with collectible cards? That classmate memorized the appearance and name of every card, knew what type it was, and could tell you from memory all of the attacks and damage it could do.

This course will make you that awesome, but with art history instead of wizards or tiny monsters. Think about it:

  • We'll start at the very beginning, with cave art from over 20,000 years ago. (That's your first card.) 
  • You'll learn all of the types, including Classical Antiquity, Northern Renaissance, Pop Art, and Manuscript Illumination (that's a rare one). 
  • You'll learn the important names, like Caravaggio, Picasso, and Jan van Eyck; all triple point cards.

As you collect, you'll figure out your favorites, as well as what isn't very exciting but is helpful to the other cards. You'll be able to sort them by medium, time period, artist, and movement; your powers of interpretation and critique will increase twentyfold. Plus, you'll remember things from your history classes more easily when you're able to visualize what art looked like during the Hundred Years War or the 1970s.

The best part? You don't even need any previous art history knowledge to begin. All you need are some writing chops, an open mind, a computer, and the ability to make connections.

So grab your deck of cards—it's time to play some Artists & Dragons.


Unit Breakdown


  1. Introduction to Art History (Community College) - Drawing on the Walls: Prehistoric and Ancient Art

    This unit starts at the very beginning. We're talking 30,000 BCE. Yeah, that's a lot of zeros. We'll be looking at a time when it was okay to draw on walls and diving into the ancient empires. You'll also get your art historian toolbox on, learning all the necessary modern research strategies and approaches.

  2. Introduction to Art History (Community College) - 500-Pound Baby Jesus: Art of the Middle Ages

    This unit is all about context. We're moving into a period when "civilization" (as we know it) started developing. That means we'll be taking a look at Islamic and Christian art. Yeah, get ready for your fair share of Jesus.

  3. Introduction to Art History (Community College) - Before They Were Turtles: Raphael, Leonardo, and Art of the Renaissance

    Art without the Renaissance is like peanut butter without jelly. In this unit, we'll dig into the rebirth of Ancient Greece and Rome, looking at art within the bigger picture of history, science, and technology.

  4. Introduction to Art History (Community College) - Getting Weird With Modern Art

    The Impressionists—and later Postimpressionists—weren't into the limits of subject and color. And then when photography became a thing, even crazier stuff started to happen: Surrealism, Abstract Art, and Dadaism...oh my.

  5. Introduction to Art History (Community College) - Postmodern Art: Sharing Voices

    Newsflash: modern ≠ present day. Postmodern art is all about using art to change the world. Well, it's a little more complicated than that, but that's the gist. This unit will tie up the course by digging deep into postmodern art and how it reflects what came before it.

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