Recently my middle school son and his classmate were creating a visual display of the Circus Maximus ruins. I took them to the art supply store to get their materials, but after that left them to mostly fend for themselves. While I would love to say that my goal was to give them the opportunity to struggle, problem-solve, and rise to the challenge, the reality is that I have a deep aversion to these kinds of projects. It seems the Lord, in His wisdom, gave me three rough and tumble boys for a reason. Arts and crafts are rare in our household.
Their endeavor brought back a memory from my own 5thgrade year when a similar visual display was assigned. I saw how excited my classmates were at the assignment, but the very thought of it was soul-sucking to me. I asked my teacher if I could please write a creative essay instead. Fortunately, Ms. Sutton obliged.
In a surprise to no one, particularly Ms. Sutton, my future did not lie in the visual arts but in writing and copy editing. However, as a person with no artistic talent I have a deep appreciation for those who can and do create through painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and animation. I’m always impressed with those who can create such beautiful things when even my stick figures are lackluster. But I noticed that when I dragged friends or family to an art museum the response was often, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be seeing.” To be honest, I didn’t know what to tell them. As much as I loved art I identified as someone who was “not artsy.”
All of that changed when I was asked to assist with Kolbe Academy’s new Art History course. There was a need for a companion textbook for the class and I was tasked with writing about art and architecture throughout human history and compiling artwork about it. Obviously, I was unequipped to do the former so I was blessed to sit at the feet of Kolbe’s brilliant Art History teacher, Therese Prudlo, and learn about the movements, periods, techniques, and most important pieces of art throughout human history.
My conversations with Mrs. Prudlo put art and architecture into a context that unlocked art for my analytical brain. All of a sudden, I could understand that it was not only what the artist was portraying but why and how.
Seeing art through the lens of history is to see art as a primary source. Even before the written word, humans created art. Learning art history helped me to look at pieces of art and see them through a historical, religious, and technological lens. As a parent and adult observer of art, Kolbe Academy’s Art History course taught me:
- How humans image our Creator in the need to create through art
- The Incarnation’s role in artistic expression—from pre-Christian, to Early Christian, to Iconoclasm, and beyond
- How the rise and fall of civilizations affects what, how, and why art is made
- Christianity’s role in architecture—from the Greeks and Romans, to Early Christians and medieval monasteries, to Gothic cathedrals, and beyond
- The role that Protestantism and secularism have played in art for the last several centuries
- The role of politics and religion in the creation of the world’s greatest masterpieces
- The juxtaposition of embracing technology and returning to nature that have formed centuries of artistic movements
- To be in awe of artists who were pioneers and worked to create the artistic resources we have today
Whether or not your student is planning to take an Art History class, Kolbe Academy’s Art History book can help you grow in your understanding and appreciation of art and architecture. Discover your favorite work of art by ordering this resource today!
