Calling all art historians/those knowledgeable on art

[HangingRoundInABofAlorsStance]

Morning!
Will be bumping all day to hopefully get some tips from any of you lovely lot. Many thanks in advance for any pointers
DD (15) has to do a talk about how European countries are linked by art.
The school subject is social studies. I thought it was how art unites us culturally and pointed her to europeana's art history challenge but apparently this was very wrong and it is meant to be a short history of european art history/what european countries have in common.
Which sounds ridiculously wide in scope and complex for a teenager.
I gather from wiki that european art stemmed from Roman/Greek art and christianity??

Sorry to sound so thick but could anyone give an idea as to what/how much she should be covering in general terms. Has she really got to go through each movement/type (she can't surely, I just counted 53) or is there an easier way of tackling it?
Any help appreciated. Other kids have got music, politics, etc so it must be to do what we have in common despite individual cultures?

commonality...could that be more about the subject matter? Feasting, carnivals, battles, heroism, social/moral messages?

That is very broad. Presumably she needs to identify the exchange of ideas and inspirations within then European art scene. For example she could split it into external influences (e.g. The way that Europeans all embrace Japanese art in the late 1800s early 1900s.). European influences that stated in one particular part of Europe and spread through the continent (e.g. Italian renaissance) and artistic movements that were created across a range of countries/cultures e.g. Cubism.

Wow. You are all really very clever and whilst I feel like a total ignoramus by comparison, I am nonetheless very grateful. She has a week to write it - in German, always a joy - and learn it. Hopefully she can take inspiration here. Thanks for the latest posts citroen/egghead (specialist round art history assuming Jeremy Vine still does that quiz) I have no idea what the teacher wanted a term of presentations so she does not need to plan maybe there's clues in DDs textbook. In my ignorance I thought it was meant to be an anti-Brexit Czexit push about how we are all European and not just German/look what we all share, citizenship type thang but DD was I have learnt a lot myself today. Just read about Japonism. A cistene chapel in Greenwich. That I would have thought The Picnic was by Monet.
I feel like a heathen. I have only been to four galleries - Louvre, Tate Modern, Pinakothek modern, Scottish national. And a couple of local ones. I would go round quickly like a child, say which I liked best then grab a and I probably still would do that heathen but have a new found respect for those working in art ed or museum ed or archives or with history of art degrees.

Ooh and please don't think that was a jibe at teachers, sorry, rather more of a confession
I used to teach unbelievable but true and might have got the kids to do a presentation or three but in fairness, never for more than a couple of lessons and always with help. DDs geography teacher once spent a whole term getting them to do Referats on a country each. She ended up with Portugal.

If you struggle to get into art you may be more interested in reading biographies of famous/significant artists. It's a more palatable way to familiarise yourself with the philosophies, inspirations and, politics of different movements. Another angle is donors and patrons. You can effectively trace the spread of artistic movements economically if you want to. Another angle (for the broad artistic periods) is architecture. This provides both a geographical and chronological evidence of the spread artistic ideas and influences. Architecture in particular great examples of the differences between renaissance art/aesthetic and medieval and provides an excellent way to track the spread and adaptation of renaissance ideas through Europe. Architecture is also the best lense through which to consider Islamic/Byzantine influences. Your daughter may want to consider that kind of method of analysing spread the influence of art on European life through some separate but related area like architecture, home decor etc. as another way of looking at it and democratising the topic to an extent.

You could narrow it down and talk about genre painting across Europe. It's very interesting, for example, how high profile painters from France, Netherlands, Britain etc were all painting peasants. (as one pictorial genre)

Also could be an indicator to show that despite country borders- life is much the same for all.

In the peasant genre there's some big names in there as well, Van Gogh included.

Thank you. I need to read more and mumsnet less
Much appreciated.

x

sistene, even no words

am now reading about the zero point of painting. Wormhole, indeed, this art malarkey

sistine ffs shoot me

I don't know about sistine but this is sisyphean and I have less idea than before. So...it turns out that last week they were asked Where does Europe end and what are the borders of the EU?
Their teacher has given them this title for the presentation

In the definition of Europe as a community of values there is the idea of a shared history of ideas and culture amongst all european countries.

Create a poster/presentation addressing the topic ART in light of this statement...
....................................................................................................................
does she have to focus on Greece Rome Christianity as tenets?
is European art distinct from other continents when there are external influences/global crossovers
any thoughts?

Or should she stick to writing about art transcending borders as european countries closer
patronage
economic migrancy
inspiration when travelling meaning influence in both directions...

meaning across board for example you had impressionism take off in many countries
you often had similar themes cross europe eg revolution
but there were still influences throughout art history of asian and african inspiration.

Shared history of ideas and culture...that's true to a point in art but the order and progression of movements - renaissance, baroque, impressionism etc - doesn't apply to all countries in Europe (e.g. Cyprus, Greece) and in terms of borders, wars and disputes, some countries (e.g. Poland) off the map for years and depictions of refugees, immigrants and diaspora artist populations. And is it a very restricted view of culture?

I can honestly say citron ma puce, I no longer any idea. The teacher has given them a firm ideology of a common Europe and I think they are expected to make the history fit.

I say that as a Bremainer btw but always think there should be critical thinking/both sides. Someone on Brexit arms gave me a lovely questionnaire source. The kids have all got a different topic: music, sport, philosophy etc so guess all things cultural covered. Other points noted, she might do a counterargument pending teacher's mood.
DD very grateful, very happy, has started and incorporated lots of ideas from here.
Thank you all again so much for all the input X