AP Art History Greatest Hits
In honor of AP season rapidly approaching and the curriculum of AP Art History coming to a close, I have decided to recap my favorite art pieces in a list below. Here are my top five of the 250 required works, enjoy!
#101 – The Swing ~ Jean-Honoré Fragonard ~ 1767 CE ~ Oil on canvas
https://smarthistory.org/jean-honore-fragonard-the-swing/
The Swing, a product of the effervescent and soft Rococo movement, perfectly encapsulates my perspective on art and on life. The central figure, wearing a stunning outfit and blissfully ignoring the anger of the man behind her, swings with glee as she taunts her lover in the distance. In my eyes, she is sarcastic and flippant, evident by her removal of her high heels, which is an attitude I strive to emulate every day. She is utterly unbothered, doing her own thing, even in spite of the male pressures around her. The painting style is also an amazing representation of my personal aesthetic, which tends to center around pinks and blues, with floral accents and a sense of whimsy. The Swing is truly a masterpiece, and if I could I would jump into this painting and gossip with the iconic woman.
#196 – Gold and Jade Crown ~ Three Kingdoms Period, Silla Kingdom, Korea ~ 5th to 6th Century CE ~ Metalwork
https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2013/koreas-golden-kingdom
The Gold and Jade Crown, originating from early Korea, is unfortunately the only crown we have in the required 250 artworks. Nonetheless, it has remained in my mind since last semester. The intricate and delicate goldwork is absolutely impressive, and the intentional integration of the jade pieces to symbolize ripe fruits hanging from tree branches is a wonderful example of the creative vigor of the Korean Peninsula’s vibrant culture. Sadly, most of my history education has ignored ancient Korea, so being confronted with this magnificent piece of art was a welcome surprise. I have always loved ornate jewelry/headpieces (a result of my grandmother’s passion for them), and this piece did not disappoint.
#177 – Lukasa (Memory Board) ~ Mbudye Society, Luba Peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo) ~ c. 19th to 20th Century CE ~ Wood, beads, and metal
https://smarthistory.org/lukasa-memory-board-luba-peoples/
The Lukasa (Memory Board), coming from the Mbudye Society of the Luba People from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fundamentally reshaped my understanding of language and of art. The Lukasa works as such: the beaded pieces and metal accents represent key historical figures, political changes, or conflicts, which are interpreted by a trained practitioner while running their hand along the board; they then pass that information unto the younger generations of Luba People, preserving their rich history. This unique way of communication opened my eyes to the incredible diversity of the human desire to be connected with one another, which I never would have fully understood until being exposed to such a beautiful and meaningful piece of cultural artistic expression.
#96 – Fruit and Insects ~ Rachel Ruysch ~ 1711 CE ~ Oil on wood
https://smarthistory.org/rachel-ruysch-fruit-and-insects/
Rachel Ruysch’s “Fruit and Insects” is truly a masterpiece of the Still-Life style. The expert shading on the peaches and gourds, coupled with the precise reflective surfaces of the grapes and smaller pitted fruits, produces an incredibly realistic artwork. I have actually had the privilege of seeing a number of Ruysch’s other works at the Mauritshuis Museum in the Hague, and each of her other pieces match this level of high quality. She is known as well for her still-lifes of flowers, which is my favorite subject for any European painting. Interestingly, Ruysch takes a rather scientific approach to her artwork and to the realism she creates, which is a lovely change from the more spiritual religious art of her era. I love all of Rachel Ruysch’s creations, and I am so glad to have analyzed one for AP Art History.
#213 – Nan Madol ~ Pohnpei, Micronesia, Saudeleur Dynasty ~ c. 700-1600 CE ~ Basalt boulders and prismatic columns
https://smarthistory.org/nan-madol/
Nan Madol, the seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty of Micronesia, is one of several cities that are a part of the required 250 artworks, including the Inkan City of Cusco and the Parthenon campus of Athens. However, the Pacific is a region that I have historically been underexposed to, since most history curricula prioritize Europe and Asia. So, being introduced to not only an impressive piece of architectural art, but also a center of government within a complex geopolitical system, was a fantastic way for me to be exposed to ancient Pacific affairs in a way I never had before. The city is also uniquely organized, with certain components being located over the water (mainly for ceremonial and religious purposes), and others placed on surrounding islands amidst megalithic stones. It is overall a marvel of diverse cultural willpower, and has truly motivated me to learn more about the wealth of history in the Pacific.
Hi Will this was so interesting and fun to read. I’m not exactly the most educated about art so this was definitely a lot of learning for me. I completely understand why the woman on the swing would be the first one as it is by itself, without considering the deeper meanings behind it, a beautiful painting. The dress that the central figure is wearing is so gorgeous and it lowkey makes me kind of sad how we don’t really wear clothes like this anymore. The way that she is so underbothered is a statement as to how being a girlboss wasn’t a concept we recently invented. It was going on many many years ago and the term simply wasn’t yet coined back then. I also find the crown so gorgeous and I’m glad it’s on the list. The Fruits and Insects painting is also so gorgeous and it’s a unique still life picture. I normally find still life paintings really boring but this one was very pretty and you described it very well. Great blog, Will!
Hi Hi Will! I still can’t believe how many pieces are required, I don’t think I’ll ever get over that. The Swing really captured my eye. I think it’s funny how I didn’t even notice the man and his expression until you pointed it out! I’d take a guess and say that’s because she’s in the center and is the only one with bright pink. I do agree though that this reflects your aesthetic and a little bit of your personality in a way. You’re always inclusive and the actual star at the same time. This is truly an iconic piece and it also appeared in Frozen when Anna was singing “For the first time in Forever”! So I definitely agree with you that it has a sense of whimsy, it captured that free-spirited side of Anna too! 🙂 Great job Will I think I have some new favorite pieces to add to my “favorite things” list after this!
Hey Will,
This blog post felt a little too familiar for me, as I typically find myself trying to erase Art History from my mind the minute the clock hits 8:35, still your post was really fun for me to read. The Swing is also one of my all time favorite art pieces (and the fact that we don’t spend more time on Rococo works is a crime). I also love Rachel Ruysch’s works, though I know they can feel boring to some. I definitely agree that her works can be a refreshing contrast to a lot of other European works from that time period. Currently, we are studying art in my german class, so if I could alter this list in any way, I would probably add something by Kaethe Kollwitz or Kirchner, though that’s my own bias. Overall, I think your list is really diverse and a great representation of Art History (though I wish you had mentioned the true best artist in the 250: Marcel Duchamp).
Hi Will! As a fellow AP Art History student, I can say that your top 5 artworks are well chosen. I honestly forgot about the gold and jade crown because we went over the Asia unit so quickly. I thought that crown was really stunning when we learned about it and after looking at it again, it’s just as pretty. I would not say that the Lukasa memory board is necessarily beautiful, but it’s definitely interesting to look at. It kinda looks like a board game. The function of the Lukasa memory board is so fascinating: beads and other small objects can be used to recall specific events in history. Fruits and Insects by Rachel Ruysch is a really great example of Baroque painting. Despite the subject matter being a bit blah, Ruysch did a great job in creating drama.