How to Study for an Art History Exam

As a high school or college student, you may have enrolled in the class sometimes known as “Art in the Dark” so you could relax with your friends while easily earning an A. After all, art is just a bunch of pretty pictures, right? Well, after a few months of classes, you may have discovered that you are completely unprepared for the writing intensive midterms you are about to suffer through and you have no idea how you will remember the artist, title, date and location of the hundreds of paintings, sculptures, prints and architectural works you viewed during the first half of the semester. But by following these easy steps, you will be on your way to art history redemption.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Copy machine
• 4 x 6-inch note cards
• Art history text books
• Glue
• Scissors

1. Create a list of artwork that the professor spent a large majority of time covering including the artist, title, date and location of the work. If you are lucky, your professor may provide you with a list. If not, it may be wise to discuss this with your classmates.

2. Look through your textbooks and make photocopies of every work on the list. If a certain work is not on the list, seek it out in the library and photocopy it. You will find that simply by searching for each work, you will begin to memorize important information.

3. Cut out each work and glue it to the front of a note card. On the other side, write down the artist, title, date and location, along with any relevant facts such as the movement, controversial issues or distinct visual characteristics.

4. Quiz yourself using the flashcards or play “around the world” with a group of classmates to drill in the information. Before long, you will be able to recall every piece of art on your list and will confidently complete the midterm exam.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a short attention span, try studying with a buddy to make it more fun.