Required works of art for AP Art History

by Smarthistory

Below are short videos, essays, high-resolution photographs, and additional resources for each of the 250 required works of art that form the central curriculum for the AP®︎ Art History course.

These works of art were selected by the College Board because they "represent foundational exemplars of global artistic traditions." While Smarthistory might have made different choices, we are pleased to support the dramatic expansion of the curriculum beyond the Anglo-European canon.

Special thanks to the many art historians and curators who have contributed their expertise.

You might find our free world art history textbook (Reframing Art History) useful—it contains many of the 250 required works, and will eventually include them all. It is officially listed on the College Board's textbook list in their Course Audit.

This Smarthistory content has been published on Khan Academy as well (same content, different site).

AP®︎ Art History is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of this product.
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Apollo 11 Cave Stones c. 25,500–25,300 B.C.E., Namibia (photo: State Museum of Namibia)

Content Area 1

Global Prehistory | 30,000–500 B.C.E.

Overview Guide

Remains of the Anu Ziggurat, c. 3517–3358 B.C.E., from Uruk (modern Warka) (photo: Geoff Emberling, by permission)

Content Area 2

Ancient Mediterranean | 3,500 B.C.E.–300 C.E.

Overview Guide

Detail of the Cubiculum of the Veiled Woman, Catacomb of Priscilla, late 2nd century–4th century C.E., Late Antique Europe, Rome, Italy

Content Area 3

Early Europe and Colonial Americas | 200–1750 C.E.

Overview Guide

Miguel Cabrera, Portrait of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (detail), c. 1750, New Spain

Content Area 4

Later Europe and Americas | 1750–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Chavín de Huántar, 900–200 B.C.E., Peru (photo: Sharon odb, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Content Area 5

Indigenous Americas | 1000 B.C.E.–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Conical Tower, Great Zimbabwe, c. 1000–1400 C.E., Shona people, Southeastern Zimbabwe (photo: Mandy, CC BY 2.0)

Content Area 6

Africa | 1100–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Tombs at Petra (Jordan), c. 400 B.C.E–100 C.E., Nabataean (photo: Dennis Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Content Area 7

West and Central Asia | 500 B.C.E.–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Great Stupa at Sanchi, 3rd century B.C.E.–1st century C.E., Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India (photo: AyushDwivedi1947, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Content Area 8

South, East, and Southeast Asia | 300 B.C.E.–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Nan Madol, 13th-17th century C.E., Pohnpei, The Federated States of Micronesia (photo: CT Snow, CC BY 2.0)

Content Area 9

The Pacific | 700–1980 C.E.

Overview Guide

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Gates, 1979-2005 (view across the pond looking southeast) (photo: © 2005 Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Content Area 10

Global Contemporary | 1980 C.E. to present

Overview Guide