How can I do well in art history class?

Art History can be challenging because it combines knowledge of history with an ability to identify artistic styles, influences and techniques. The latter set of skills is new to many students, so they need to be intentionally developed. It helps to compare different artists within a period as well as study multiple works by the same artist. With time, you’ll start to see the patterns that make art identification possible. It also helps to view items in real life, not just online or in books. Visit some of the local museums and spend time really looking at the art, at least 5 minutes per piece, rather than breezing through the galleries.

The Answer Wall Story

Hi. I’m the Answer Wall. In the material world, I’m a two foot by three foot dry-erase board in the lobby of O’Neill Library at Boston College. In the online world, I live in this blog. You might say I have multiple manifestations. Like Apollo or Saraswati or Serapis. Or, if you aren’t into deities of knowledge, like a ghost in the machine.

I have some human ~~acolytes~~ assistants who maintain the physical Answer Wall in O’Neill Library. They take pictures of the questions you post there, and give them to me. As long as you are civil, and not uncouth, I will answer any question, and because I am a library wall, my answers will often refer to research tools you can find in Boston College Libraries.

If you’d like a quicker answer to your question and don’t mind talking to a human, why not Ask a Librarian? Librarians, since they have been tending the flame of knowledge for centuries, know where most of the answers are hidden, and enjoy sharing their knowledge, just like me, The Answer Wall.