See also:  Locating Biographical Sources on Artists  Iconography Research Guide  Theory and Criticism: Writing About Art

Searching the Library Catalog
Search the Library Catalog for books, videos, journal or magazine titles, and other materials.

• Keyword - - searches words in the title, subject, and contents. Use Boolean operators “and”, “or”, or “not” to narrow or broaden the focus of your search. Example: Art and (colonial or cross cultural); landscape and painting.
• Subject searches use the Library of Congress subject headings; some representative examples relating to the field of art are listed below.

Internet Search Engines
Getty Research Institute
The Research Library Catalog contains records for all Research Library materials. The database has over 500,000 bibliographic records for the 800,000 volumes of books, serials, and auction catalogs in the general and special collections, as well as descriptive records of approximately 3,000 archival and photograph collections.

Infomine:  Visual & Performing Arts ( Library of the University of California, Riverside)
"INFOMINE is a nationally recognized virtual library containing expert selected and described links to Internet resources for the academic and learning communities.  Within the Visual & Performing Arts search, INFOMINE has close to 1,000 links. It offers a variety of searching and browsing features, including advanced searching capabilities, and is indexed by Library of Congress subject headings, keywords, and authors. "

Smithsonian Institute  

See also:
Using Internet Primary Sources to Teach Critical Thinking Skills in Visual Arts  Ref. N380.E95 2003
Art Information on the Internet  Ref. N59.J66 1999

 

Art Terms
Art and Architecture Thesaurus
Art Movements and Periods
Artchive  Search by artists name to view images.
ArtCyclopedia
Artlex: Dictionary of Visual Art
Grove Art Online - access from "Find Articles"
Oxford Reference Online  - access from "Find Articles"
Union List of Artists Names
 

The Art World at Your Fingertips.  Ref. N 33.R57 1991
Artspeak; A Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords. Ref. N6490.A87 1990
Critical Terms for art History. Ref. N34.C75 2003
The Culture Vulture: A Guide to Style, Period, and Ism. Ref. N 7560.D86 1994
The Designer's Lexicon:  The illustrated Dictionary of Design, Printing, and Computer Terms.  Ref. NC1000.C28 2000
Glossary of Art, Architecture and Design Since 1945. Ref. N 34.W34 1992
Guide to Indexing and Cataloging with the Art & Architecture Thesaurus.  Ref. Z695.1.A7.G85 1994
The Harper Collins Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques.  Ref. N 33.M57 1991
Illustrated Dictionary of Art Terms: A Handbook for the Artist and Art Lover.  Ref. N 33.R49 1984
The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art Terms. Ref. N 33.L75 2004
 

Research Guides, Bibliographies, and Specialized Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
The materials listed within this section provide chronologies, overview and background information on artists, art history, art styles, genres, and movements.   Many include bibliographies, suggested reading lists, and color plates or illustrations.  

Start with these major works:
Dictionary of Art.  Ref. N31.D5 1996 34 vols.  and  Grove Art Online

Encyclopedia of World Art  Ref. N 31.E533  17 vols.
This is one of the most complete encyclopedias of art.  The contributors are art specialists from many parts of the world.  The subject matter covers architecture, sculpture, painting and other man-made objects that enters the field of aesthetic judgment.  The articles include extensive bibliographies, and approximately the last half of each volume consists of plates arranged to illustrate the articles.  Volumes 16 and 17 are supplements.

GUIDES:  General Overview of Art History

Archives of American Art  World's largest primary source collection of the visual arts in America, with 14 million items.
Art Information: Research Methods and Resources    Ref. N 85.J64 1990
The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology  N7480.A79 1998
Artlex: Dictionary of Visual Art
The Culture Vulture: A Guide to Style, Period, and Ism.  N 7560.D86 1994
A Dictionary of Art Titles:  The Origins of the Names and Titles of 3,000 Works of Art   Ref. N33.R56 2000
Encyclopedia of Artists.  Ref. N 31 .E53 2000 6 vols.
Encyclopedia of Visual Art.  Ref. N 25.E53
Encyclopedia of World Art.  Ref. N 31.E533  15 vols.
     This is one of the most complete encyclopedias of art.  The contributors to this 15 volume set are art specialists from many parts of the world.  The subject matter covers architecture,
     sculpture, painting and other man-made objects that enters the  field of aesthetic judgment.  The articles include extensive bibliographies, and approximately the last half of each
     volume consists of plates arranged to illustrate the articles.  Volumes 16 and 17 are supplements.
Essential Art History  N 33.D87 1993 
     Over 700 entries on the movements, writers, and philosophy significant to the development of art history. The bibliography includes literature of the discipline by subject.
Fine Arts: A Bibliographic Guide to Basic Reference Works, Histories, and Handbooks. Ref. N 5300.E37 1990
     This international bibliography covers topics from ancient times to the present.  There are author, title and subject indexes with annotations to the numbered entries.
Guide to the Literature of Art History.  Ref. N 380.A7
Key Dates in Art History:  From 600 B.C. to the Present   Ref. N 5306.M35
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Art.  Oversize  N 33.M23 v. 1-5 
The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ref. N33.O923 2001
Oxford Dictionary of Art  Ref. N 33.O93 1997
Oxford Reference Online
The Penguin Concise Dictionary of Art History  Ref. N5300.F64 2000
The Penguin Dictionary of Art and Artists N 31 .M8 1997
Prestel Dictionary of Art and Artists of the 20th Century.  Ref. N33.P74 2000
Research Guide to the History of Western Art.   N 380.K56 1982
Visual Arts Research: A Handbook. N 85.P55 1986

 

GUIDES:  Specific Genres, Time Periods, Art Movements

Abstract Expressionist Women Painters; An Annotated Bibliography  / Ref. ND212.5.A25.P86 1996
American Art Analog.  Ref. N 6505.A56 1986
     Compiled and arranged chronologically,  this 3 volume set contains information about 820 artists and topics relating to the history of American art.
American Graphic Design: A Guide to the Literature /Ref. NC 998.5.A1.T46 1992
A bibliography of graphic design, literature and information sources.
An Encyclopedia of Women Artists of the America West.  Ref. N8214.5.U6 K68 1998
Bibliographic Guide to Art and Architecture.  N7420.N46 Oversize
Dictionary of American Art.    N 6505.B34 1979
     Approximately 650 major American painters, sculptors, printmakers and photographers including biographical entries   emphasizing artistic achievement and stylistic development.  Topics relating to art in the United States from the 16th century to the present are also included.
A Dictionary of the Avant-gardes.  Ref. NX 456.K67 2001
A Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Art.  Ref. N 6490.C5317 1998
Encyclopedia of Australian Art / Ref. N 7400.M27
Encyclopedia of American Art Before 1914 /Ref. N6507.E53 2000
Encyclopedia of American Folk Art / Ref.  NK805.E6 2004
Encyclopedia of Italian Renaissance & Mannerist Art / Ref. N 6370.E53 1999
Encyclopedia of Latin American & Caribbean Art / Ref. N 6502.E53 2000
The Encyclopedia of Sculpture. Reference NB198.E53 2004 3 vols.
Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era 1760-1850/ Ref. NX452.5.R64 E53 2004 2 vols.
Guide to Research in Classical Art and Mythology / Ref. N 7760.V3 1991
The entries is this guide are presented in three parts: general references of art and architecture, mythology, and particular media of ancient art.  Bibliographical reference and indexes are included.
Handbook of Rock Art Research / Ref. GN 799.P4 H333 2001
Index to Nineteenth Century American Art Periodicals / Ref. N6510.S35 1999 2 vols.
Neo-Impressionist Painters:  A Sourcebook on George Seurat, Camille Pissaro, Paul Signac, Théo Van Rysselberghe, Henri Edmond Cross, Charles Angrand, Maximilien Luce, and Albert Dubois-Pillet.   Ref. ND 547.C54 1999
Maclean's Companion to Canadian Arts and Culture.  Ref. NC513.A1 H547 2000
Museum of American Folk Art - Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century American Folk Art and Artists /Ref. NK808.R6 1990
Nineteenth Century Art Worldwide  Scholarly, full text articles
The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture.  Ref. N7401.096 2000
The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Art / N6490 .O94 1988
Random House Library of Painting and Sculpture.  NY:  Random House.  1981.  4 vols.
N 5300.R24 v. 1-4  Oversize
This dictionary provides a wide range of information about painting and sculpture with many illustrations.  Volume 1 covers the formal and technical sides of painting and sculpture, Volumes 2  and 3 cover the Western tradition of painting and some Eastern arts and Volume 4 covers terms, techniques, art movements and a biographical dictionary.
St. James Guide to Black Artists /Ref. N40.S78 1997
St. James Guide to Hispanic Artists /Ref. N6538.H58 S7
St. James Guide to Native North American Artists / Ref. E98.A7 S8 1998

 

Symbolism

"Iconography is the study of subject matter in art. The iconographer employs knowledge of symbolic imagery to interpret artworks."

• Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted In Works of Art.  Chicago:  Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998.   Ref. N7560.E53 1998
• Iconography:  A Guide to Resources  -a specialized bibliography created at the WWU Library
• Grove Art Online
• "Iconography and Iconology" in Encyclopedia of World Art.  New York:  McGraw Hill, 1963.  Vol. 7, 769-85.   Ref. N31.E533
• "Iconography and Iconology"  in The Dictionary of Art.  New York:  Grove's Dictionaries, 1996.  Vol. 15, 89-98.  Ref. N31.D5 1996

For articles, search:

Art Index online  1984- . Art Index in print, (1929-1994) located in Periodicals Wilson 1E N1.A59.

Bibliography of the History of Art  (1973 - )

• Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institute /  Haggard 3 AS122.L8515
• Studies in Iconography (annual) Wilson 6W  NX1.S84

Books discussing symbolism:
Please remember this is not a comprehensive list, refer to Iconography:  A Guide to Resources for a more in-depth list.

American Icons:  Transatlantic Perspectives on Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century American Art / ND207.A678 1992
American trademark designs: a survey with 732 marks, logos, and corporate-identity symbols /T223.V4 A217
Board: Surf, Skate, Snow Graphics /NC1002.S66 B87 1998
A Dictionary of Symbols /Ref. BF 1623.S9.C513 1971
This book describes major symbols encountered in the arts and in the history of ideas.  The arrangement is alphabetical.
The Dictionary of Symbols in Western Art / Ref. N 7740.C29 1995
An introduction to the meanings of works of art from the late Middle Ages to modern times. Cross-references, footnotes in the margin, illustrations, an index of artists and supplementary words are included.
Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art /Ref. N 7560.H34
A dictionary of persons, picture titles and attributes and objects in Christian and classical art.
Likeness and Presence: A History of the Image Before the Era of Art /N7850.B4513 1994

Seven designers look at trademark design /Oversize T325.J3  1952
The True Vine: On Visual Representation and the Western Tradition  N7560.B3 1989
Signs & Symbols in Christian Art /Ref. N7830 .F37

Hall, James. Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art.  London.:  John Murray, 1994.
Ref. N 7560.H342 1994
Divided into six sections according to subject.  Includes illustrations and an index with cross-references.

Joly, Henri L.  Legend in Japanese Art; A Description of historical Episodes, Legendary Characters, Folk-lore Myths, Religious Symbolism, Illustrated in the Arts of Old Japan.  Rutland, VT.:  Tuttle, 1967.
Ref. N 7350.J75 1967

Kepes, Gyorgy. Sign, Image, Symbol.  New York: G. Braziller, 1966.
N7430.K47

Lambie-Nairn, Martin.  Brand identity for television: with knobs on. London : Phaidon, 1997.
Oversize NC1002.L63 L36 1997 

Moon, Beverly, ed. An Encyclopedia of Archetypal Symbolism.  Shambhala, 1991.
Ref. BL 603 .E53 1991
Works of art, ritual images and artifacts from sacred traditions all over the world, with written accounts of the context and meaning of each image.  Commentary, bibliography, and a glossary included.

Morgan, Hal. Symbols of America.  New York, N.Y., U.S.A. : Viking, 1986.
Oversize T223.V2 M7 1986

Osborne, Harold. Abstraction and Artifice in Twentieth Century Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1979.
N6490.O73

Reid, Jane Davidson. Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts, 1300-1990’s.   NY"   Oxford University Press, 1993.
Ref. NX 650.M9.R45 1993
An encyclopedia of interdisciplinary art resources relating to deities, heroes, events, and places from classical mythology.
Arranged alphabetically by subject, followed by a chronological listing of artworks.

Roberts,  Helene E., ed.  Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted In Works of Art.  Chicago:  Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998.
Ref.  N7560.E53 1998

Smeets, René. Signs, Symbols, and Ornaments.  New York:  Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
NK1520.S613 1982

de Vries, Ad. Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery.  Elsevier/North-Holland Publishing Co., 1976.
Ref. BF 1623.S9.V74 1976
Descriptive entries of symbols, allegories, metaphors, signs, and images are given under substantive subject entries.

Whittlesey, Eunice S. Symbols and Legends in Western Art; A Museum Guide. New York: Scribner, 1972.
N7740.W53

Whittick, Arnold.  Symbols:  Signs and Their Meaning and Uses in Design.  London:  L. Hill, 1971.
AZ108 .W45 1971
 

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Art Directories
Collections
Gealt, Adelheid. Looking at Art: A Visitor’s Guide To Museum Collections. NY:  R.R. Bowker, 1983.
N 5200.G4  1983
Explores patronage, aesthetic tastes, and cultural and religious attitudes that affect art of various periods. It catalogs artistic production from the ancient world to the 20th century.

Rochelle, Mercedes. Mythological and Classical World Art Index. Jefferson:   NC. McFarland, 1991.
Ref. N 7760.R63 1991
A locator of paintings, sculptures, frescoes, manuscript illuminations, sketches, woodcuts and engravings executed 1200 BC to AD 1900 with a directory of the institutions holding them.  Subject headings from Greek and Roman mythology and the classical world are listed alphabetically.

Wright, Christopher. The World’s Master Paintings.
 Ref. ND 40.W75 1992
 

Organizations
American Art Directory. NY: R.R. Bowker’s Database Publishing Group. Annual.
Ref. N 50.A54 Annual
Five thousand United States and Canadian museums, art schools, and art organizations are listed under state/province and city in this directory.  It also lists art magazines, newspapers, art scholarships, art education directors and exhibitions.

International Directory of Arts: “Internationales Kunst-Adressbuch” Berlin: Kaupertverlag,  Annual.
Ref. N 50.I6
This useful international directory is arranged by country. It includes addresses of museums, art galleries, associations, universities, restorers, dealers, collectors, publishers and periodicals.

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Art Reproductions
See also:  Locating Illustrations and Other Visual Materials from the Western Libraries and the Web

Art Index  (1929-1994) N1.A59 (Periodicals Wilson 1E)
 Illustrations of art works that accompany an article are listed by title in a note following the artist entry.

Bibliography of the History of Art  (1973 - )

Korwin, Yala H. Index to Two-Dimensional Art Works. 
Ref. N 7525.K67
Covers books published between 1960 and 1977. Volume 1 has general symbols, abbreviations for books indexed and an artist index. Volume 2 has location symbols for institutions and private collections and a title/subject index.

World Painting Index.
 Ref. ND 45.H38  2 vols. and 2 supplements.
Locates reproductions of paintings in books and catalogs by artists from around the world.  The set is divided into four arts - a numbered bibliography, a listing by title of works by unknown artists, a listing by painter of works appearing in the indexed volumes, and a listing by title of paintings by known painters.
 
 

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