History of Art

History of Art A Level will introduce you to some of the most magnificent examples of world culture: paintings, sculptures, buildings – as well as many other forms of visual art – made in ancient Greece all the way up to the present day.

In investigating more than 2,500 years’ worth of art and architecture, you will acquire knowledge of many different civilisations, bridging the gap across time and place. A study of the subject is transportive and transformational: historical artefacts are time capsules that connect us back to the preoccupations of the past societies that made them, while modern works can refresh and deepen our understanding of the present and the challenges we face today.

A significant part of the A Level course involves learning how to look. In the first of the three units, Visual Analysis, you will develop your visual literacy by analysing how artists manipulate formal elements such as composition, colour or space to create paintings and sculptures, or how architects use historical features or grapple with structural problems in designing buildings. In today’s image-saturated world, this is an essential skill.

History of Art also teaches us how to situate artworks within their historical contexts and to consider the social, political, economic or technological factors that shaped them. We also debate the meanings of these works – both for the societies that made them and for us today. In the second A Level unit, Themes, we investigate a selection of key works that relate to two of the following three areas: Identities, Nature and War. We look at how artists across the world have represented divine beings, individuals, groups and nations; how the motifs, messages and materials of the natural world have been used by practitioners in Europe and beyond; as well as the ways in which past and present artists have responded to war and reflected our changing attitudes towards conflict.

The third A Level module is an in-depth exploration of two historical periods. ‘Invention and Illusion’ looks at the Renaissance in Italy between 1420 and 1520, while ‘Pop Life’ is a study of British and American contemporary art from 1960 to the present. We consider in greater detail the lives and careers of individual artists, delving deeper into relevant contexts: from the rediscovery of linear perspective and other technological developments in 15th century Florence, to the Civil Rights movement and rise of second-wave feminism in 1960s America.

As with other A Level subjects at Francis Holland, History of Art groups are small. The small size of the classes is an important factor in stimulating discussion and encouraging all students to express their opinions. No previous knowledge or artistic skill is required to take this subject; students need only intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for looking at art.

Beyond The Classroom

The School is happily situated near many London museums and galleries, including the National Gallery, Tate Britain and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Studying works of art at first hand is a vital part of this subject. Each year, we take full advantage of our central London location and make numerous visits to both the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions at these and other venues.

The Department also runs residential trips abroad. In the past, we have taken students to destinations such as Florence, Rome and Paris, where we have embraced all of the incredible cultural – and culinary! – delights that these cities have to offer.

Artwork of the Week

Every week, the History of Art subject representatives select an Artwork of the Week to inspire us and teach us about world cultures, and to encourage us to visit more frequently the amazing museums and galleries that we have on our doorstep here in London.