AP Art History

Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the AP Art History Course and Exam Description (CED).

Encourage your students to visit the AP Art History student page for exam information.

The AP Art History Exam has consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines every year, so you and your students know what to expect on exam day.

Section I: Multiple Choice

80 Questions | 1 Hour | 50% of Exam Score

Questions on the exam will appear both as:

• sets of 2–3 questions, with each set based on color images of works of art.
• individual questions, some of which are based on color images of works of art.
• The multiple-choice section includes images of works of art both in and beyond the image set.

Section II: Free Response

6 Questions | 2 Hours | 50% of Exam Score

Question 1: Comparison is a long essay question that assesses students’ ability to compare a work of their choice with a provided work from the image set and articulate a claim explaining the significance of the similarities and differences between those works, citing evidence to support their claim.

Question 2: Visual/Contextual Analysis is a long essay question that assesses students’ ability to analyze visual and contextual features of a work of art from the image set (image not provided) and respond to the prompt with an art historically defensible claim supported by evidence.

Question 3: Visual Analysis is a short essay question that assesses students’ ability to analyze visual elements of a work of art beyond the image set (image provided) and connect it to an artistic tradition, style, or practice.

Question 4: Contextual Analysis is a short essay question that assesses students’ ability to analyze contextual elements of a work of art from the image set and explain how context can influence artistic decisions or affect the meaning of a work of art.

Question 5: Attribution is a short essay question that assesses students’ ability to attribute a work of art beyond the image set (image provided) and justify their assertion by providing specific visual evidence.

Question 6: Continuity and Change is a short essay question that assesses students’ ability to analyze the relationships between a work of art from the image set and a related artistic tradition, style, and/or practice.

Questions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 will include images of works of art.