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Submitted by: Malissa Wright, Teacher

Teaching Tip

We investigate the past to better understand the present and think about the future.

Asking questions about the past can bring meaning to present experience.

Everything and everyone has a history -- a story about where they came from, how they have changed, and why they are the way they are.

Reading art history involves the abstract concept of time. In an attempt to make history more understandable to students, we can relate it to their own personal histories or the histories of people they know (parents and grandparents, for example).

Questions you might ask students about an artist:

• What were the major events (personal) in the life of the artist?
• How was his/her personality, interests effected by these events?
• How does this relate to the subject matter of the artwork being examined?
• What are the main themes or interests of the artist (general subject matter and/or topics of concern)?
• What was he/she intending to accomplish or communicate through his/her work?

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