Art History

Welcome to the study of art history! This course will take you through the prominent time periods studied by art historians. You’ll explore the most ancient art known to man – prehistoric art – before moving into the antiquity period of Asia and Europe, ancient American art (including civilisations such as the Aztecs and Mayans), and ancient African art. 

You’ll learn about pre-Islamic, Persian, and Islamic Middle Eastern art and examine various forms of European art from pre-1770, including Byzantine, Viking, Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance art and post-1770 European art with movements such as Romanticism, Impressionism and Expressionism, before moving on to post-colonial art.

Taking you up to the present day, the course concludes with an exploration of 20th-century art with a look at Cubism, Surrealism and Futurism, and contemporary art, including Pop Art, Minimalism, Op Art, Political Art, and Conceptualism.

By studying this course, you will:

• Learn what art can tell us about cultural, political, societal, and economical changes throughout history
• Discover prehistoric and ancient art
• Explore Middle Eastern, European, and post-colonial art
• Understand 20th century and contemporary art
• Improve your analytical, visual, and sensual skills

If you’re interested in art from a creative or purely academic perspective, history or culture, you’ll enjoy the Art History Diploma Course. The history of art tells us so much about the development of humanity and culture. It can show us what it was like to live in the geographical position and time period from which a piece is from – what was important at the time and how the artist felt.

Whether you’re an artist or not, this history can inspire you in many ways. You may even find yourself with a new interest in a particular type of art that you may wish to learn more about.