The AP Art History Exam is the Advanced Placement (AP) examination in the United States for the study of art history. This exam is designed to assess a student’s knowledge and understanding of art history, as well as their ability to analyze and interpret works of art. This exam has been offered since 1955, and it is offered by the College Board, which also oversees other AP tests.
The exam consists of two components: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. The multiple-choice section includes 55 questions that are based on images provided in the test booklet.
The images can range from ancient to modern art and each question will require students to identify the artist, title, period, or movement associated with the image. The free-response section includes three essay questions that must be answered in 120 minutes. Students are expected to analyze works of art in terms of their historical context, formal elements, iconography, and stylistic characteristics.
Scoring
The multiple-choice section is worth 50% of the total score, while the free-response section is worth 50%. The College Board assigns a score from 1 to 5 for each component and then combines those scores into one overall score on a scale from 1 to 5. A score of 5 indicates that a student has demonstrated an excellent mastery of the subject matter.
Preparing for the Exam
In order to prepare for the AP Art History Exam, students should familiarize themselves with key concepts such as media, symbolism, form and function in artworks. It is also important that students have some familiarity with major pieces of artwork from different historical periods so they can better analyze them during the exam. Additionally, studying sample questions can help students become more familiar with what types of questions will be asked on the exam.
The AP Art History Exam is an important part of demonstrating mastery in this subject area at an advanced level. Students who take this exam should thoroughly prepare by studying key concepts and familiarizing themselves with major works of art so they can demonstrate their understanding on this challenging test.
Conclusion:
The AP Art History Exam consists of two sections: a multiple-choice section worth 50% of the total score; and a free-response section worth 50% where students must analyze works of art in terms of their historical context, formal elements, iconography, and stylistic characteristics. To succeed on this exam students should study key concepts related to art history as well as familiarize themselves with major works from different periods so they are prepared for both sections.