Top Ten Periods in Western Art History

Experts sometimes disagree on dates and artists, and dates always overlap one another, but the periods below provide a good framework for learning about the art of the Western world.

The painting on this page is called The Ballet Class by Impressionist artist Edgar Degas.

416Degas1. The Gothic period: 1150 to 1500

2. The Renaissance: 1400 to 1600

3. Mannerism: 1520 to 1600

4. The Baroque period: 1600 to 1750

5. Rococo: 1720 to 1780

6. Neoclassicism: 1750 to 1850

7. Romanticism: 1800 to 1850

8. Realism: 1850 to 1900

9. The Impressionist period: 1870 to 1910

10. Post-impressionism: 1886 to 1905

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For more on the history of art and activities on famous artists from all these periods, see the excellent book Discovering Great Artists from the KidsArt on-line store.

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