One of the aspects of homeschooling that I truly appreciate, is the luxury of learning all over again. There was so much that I missed as a young student, and I certainly didn't appreciate the beautiful opportunity to learn. I find myself enjoying the classes that my daughters are beginning to take as they end their middle school years, and move into high school. This art history course that the girls and I have been reviewing is a prime example. The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective from The Master and His Apprentices is an amazing curriculum for students entering, or already in high school.
The author of this curriculum has a very cool God at work kind of story. It's awesome to see how His hand works when faithful followers listen to His voice. To read about the way that this book came to be written was encouraging and inspiring for me. The thought of writing a textbook wasn't even on her radar, so to learn about the ways that God redirected her plans was very cool. I don't mean to leave you hanging, but I'll let you visit the site for yourself and read her story.
Back to art history. It's a subject that holds a special place in my heart, as it was a minor for me in college. I remember sitting in the large classroom, lights dimmed, watching the slides of many works of art, and listening to the professor's lecture. Now, I have the privilege of introducing the subject to my daughters, and a trip to the museum isn't mandatory - although still an excellent and worthwhile excursion, and we do go, lol. I simply mean that with The Master and His Apprentices, you have all that you need to provide a rich education in art history. To make this course even more appealing, it is presented from a Biblical worldview, without objectionable material, and upon completion, will give your student one full elective credit. Excellent.
The Master and His Apprentices: Art History from a Christian Perspective is available in either a hardback copy, which may be purchased for $149.99 , or in digital format, for $34.99. We received the digital format for review, which includes the textbook and teacher guides. I do love physical textbooks, but the digital is certainly more convenient, as we could just download and get started. It is in a "fixed-layout PDF", and because it is so large in size, it is recommended to be looked at on a computer. They have made the process easier for us as well because the print layout is a binder ready one, so if you print it all out, you can get it right into that 3 ring binder.
There are 19 chapters in this curriculum, divided into 6 main headings:
- The Beginning
- Ancient Cultures
- Classical Antiquity
- Middle Ages
- Renaissance
- Baroque Era and Beyond
As you might expect, lessons begin with an introduction to art history, but the difference between this and secular courses, is the inclusion of the Bible, and Biblical timelines. I was joyful as I began the first chapters, and saw how the author wove Biblical history, and pointed out the hand of God in art. This is what I've been waiting for in an art curriculum, and I didn't even know it. You can read these on your computer, or a large tablet, although I prefer to print out the chapters and read them on paper. My daughters prefer it this way also. Quick note- there are specific instructions regarding how to print out the book, and you'll want to read those! I wasted a few sheets of paper because I didn't follow them.
Those first chapters include the author's suggestions for using the book, how to incorporate other subjects into the lessons, and of course, Scripture. She has put the material in chronological order, so the book is best read in order from beginning to end, rather than skipping around. Up to this point, we've worked through Creation, and Ancient Egypt, both of which have been fascinating. Of course, it helps that my up and coming freshman has always held an interest in mummies, and King Tut. The photos are beautiful too. I just love the whole package, really. I have yet to see another art history textbook that rivals this in presentation, layout, and content. I love it. I hope I'm not gushing, but I am pretty excited about this course. I'm looking forward to all that we will learn as we make our way through the rest of this book. We love it, and I hope that you'll check it out, and see if it's the right fit for your family too.
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