Back in Time...

Grade 9 students are getting introduced to a variety of art history periods this week...  Prehistoric, Egyptian, Greek & Roman art is on our agenda before Easter break.  Learning about early and Classical art provides students with an understanding of creative evolution and significant artistic contributions throughout several thousands of years.




Prehistoric artists used natural materials to create art for a variety of purposes. Today we were introduced to the Venus of Willendorf, while the video above displays some fantastic art created in caves.  The most popular cave art can be found in Lascaux.

If we skip forward several thousand years, we can begin to explore Egyptian art.




The video above mentions Mesopotamia, but we will be focusing more of our attention on Egyptian art, for the sake of simplicity.  We will become familiar with Egypt's geographical location and compare it to major landmarks, such as the Mediterranean Sea and the continents of Africa and Europe.
We will also try to understand how Egyptian art evolved between the Old, Middle & Late/New Kingdoms.  We will become familiar with a variety of art forms such as the Pyramids, mummies, hieroglyphics, King Tut's mask, and more!


If we move ahead on our timeline (and if we move further North on the Mediterranean), we'll begin to look at Greek art.




The video above quickly summarizes Greek and Roman art periods, explaining the transition by mentioning the Roman take-over of Greece.  There are some similarities between the two periods, but some of the most beautiful art was produced during the Greek period.

We will talk about the Parthenon and some architectural features, Greek statues (especially those that show the contrapposto pose), and red figure ware (vases).

When we look at Roman art, we will discuss the advancements achieved by their extremely efficient society.  The Roman arch and aqueducts, along with other innovations, helped to push creative endeavours forward very quickly.  We will look at the Colosseum and the Pantheon, as well as Trajan's Column.

By the end of the week, students will complete a timeline, which will record the four art periods, major features and advancements.



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** Check out more videos from historyteachers on YouTube! **

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