Art and Art History

Finding Books

Searching the catalog for books on art and art history:

Try a keyword search:

Try a subject search:

Or browse the stacks by call number:

Try these recommended databases first:

Art Full Text — ELECTRONIC
Art Full Text is a bibliographic database that indexes and abstracts articles from periodicals published throughout the world. Full-text coverage for selected periodicals is also included. Periodical coverage includes English-language periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. In addition to articles, Art Full Text indexes reproductions of works of art that appear in indexed periodicals. Indexing coverage begins 1984; abstracting coverage begins with January 1994. Full-text coverage begins in 1997. It continues Art Index Retrospective.
Art and Architecture Complete — ELECTRONIC
Art and Architecture Complete offers indexing and abstracts for more than 630 academic journals, magazines and trade publications as well as for over 150 books with full-text coverage of more than 250 of the periodicals. Subject coverage includes antiques, art and art history, interior and landscape design, and much more.
JSTOR — ELECTRONIC
Includes full-text of all articles. Art and Art History journals include Art Bulletin, Art Journal, Burlington Magazine, Journal of Design History, Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, October, Winterthur Portfolio, plus 30 more. Note that JSTOR employs a “moving wall” of publication dates. Therefore, the most recent years are not included.

Need more? Continue with these:

Art Bibliographies Modern — ELECTRONIC
Source of information on modern and contemporary arts dating from the late 19th century onwards, and including photography since its invention. Includes abstracts of English and foreign-language material on famous and lesser-known artists, movements, and trends. The coverage of ABM is wide-ranging and includes performance art and installation works, video art, computer and electronic art, body art, graffiti, artists’ books, theatre arts, conservation, crafts, ceramic and glass art, ethnic arts, graphic and museum design, fashion, and calligraphy, as well as traditional media including illustration, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and drawing.
Art Index Retrospective — ELECTRONIC
Art Index Retrospective is a bibliographic database that cumulates citations to Art Index volumes 1-32 of the printed index published between 1929-1984. The database cites articles from periodicals published throughout the world, and includes English-language periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins, as well as periodicals published in French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Dutch. In addition to articles, Art Index Retrospective indexes reproductions of works of art that appear in indexed periodicals. It is the predecessor to Art Full Text.

ARTstor — ELECTRONIC
ARTstor is an image database that includes art and architecture. Free Registration is necessary for saving images on ARTstor, but not for searching the collection.

Try these recommended resources first:

Search the catalog — ELECTRONIC
Search by the name of the artist or work. There may be an entire book on your artist or painting. If not, broaden your search to look for monographs on the artist or art movement, and then check that book’s index for the subject that you are interested in.
Encyclopedia of World Art — PRINT
16 volume set with index. Includes lengthy articles with excellent bibliographies on most subjects. Use the index (volume 15) to help find your topic. In our REFERENCE section, with call number N31 E533
Grove Dictionary of Art / Oxford Art Online– ELECTRONIC and PRINT
The Grove Dictionary of Art is available in print and electronically, which makes it easy to search by keyword. The print version is located in our REFERENCE section, with Call Number N31 .D5 1996. The electronic version is now offered by Oxford Art Online, which also includes access to the Oxford Companion to Western Art, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Both the Grove and the Oxford Companion are especially useful due to the bibliographies included for each subject. Look for the bibliography at the end of each entry and then check our catalog to see if we have any of the books listed.

Need more? Continue with these:

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists — ELECTRONIC
Encyclopedia of Sculpture — PRINT
3 volume set covering all aspects of sculpture. Especially good for Ancient and Egyptian sculpture. Contains in-depth entries with bibliographies. In our REFERENCE section, with call number NB 198 E53 2004
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Art – PRINT
Comprehensive 5 volume set covering major and minor artists/works with shorter entries. In our REFERENCE section, call Number N 33 M23

The Concise Oxford dictionary of art terms — ELECTRONIC
The Oxford Dictionary of Art — ELECTRONIC and PRINT
REF N33 .O93 1988
Short entries covering major works, artists and important terms.
Artspeak: A guide to contemporary ideas, movements and buzzwords, 1945-present — PRINT
REF N6490 .A78 1986
Useful for looking up a quick definition
Artspoke: a guide to modern ideas, movements, and buzzwords, 1848-1944 — PRINT
REF N6447 .A85 1993
Useful for looking up a quick definition.
A Dictionary of Modern Design — ELECTRONIC and PRINT
REF NK1165 .W66 2004