Art History Subject Guide

Getting Started

When you begin research in a new topic area it is useful to identify phrases, define words and find brief facts. The resources in this section list some reference sources for the field of Art History.  To find additional materials search the AUS library catalog (http://alberta.aus.edu/search).

Reference Resources

The Dictionary of art
Reference Collection – 1st Floor – REF N31 .D5 1996 (34 vols.)

The Oxford dictionary of art
Reference Collection – 1st Floor – REF N33 .O93 1997

The Thames & Hudson dictionary of art terms
Reference Collection – 1st Floor – REF N33 .L75 2004

Dictionary of subjects & symbols in art
Reference Collection – 1st Floor – REF N7560 .H34 1979b

A dictionary of twentieth-century art
Reference Collection – 1st Floor – REF N6490 .C5317 1998

Contemporary artists
Reference Collection – 2nd Floor – REF N6490 .C6567 2001 (2 vols.)

Finding Books and Other Materials

The AUS Library uses the Library of Congress Classification system. To find books search in the AUS library catalog (http://alberta.aus.edu/search). To browse the shelves for books in Art History, try the following call numbers:

Finding Journal Articles

In the field of art history the AUS library subscribes to hundreds of journals, most of which are found online. To find all databases with art history information go to:

http://library.aus.edu/Databases/Databases-subject.htm#Architecture

You may also use Journal Finder on the library website (http://lt4tz7xl8k.search.serialssolutions.com/). From the drop down menu under “Browse electronic and print journals by subject” select Art, Architecture & Applied Arts.

Top Database Choices

Art Full Text – is a bibliographic database that indexes and abstracts articles from periodicals published throughout the world. Contrary to the name not all results are in full-text.

CAMIO (Catalog of Art Museum Images Online) – is a growing collection documenting works of art from around the world. Images, text and multimedia represent a broad range of works of art from the collections of prominent museums, highlighting the creative output of cultures around the world, from prehistoric to contemporary times, and covering the complete range of expressive forms

Grove Art Online – Grove Art Online contains the entire text of The Dictionary of Art, and The Oxford Companion to Western Art with ongoing additions of new and updated articles, over 3,000 thumbnail art images and line drawings displayed in the text of articles, as well as extensive image links.

JSTOR – Provides electronic access to the back-files of almost 200 core scholarly journals from 19 academic disciplines including the humanities, social sciences, and general sciences.

Other Databases

Academic Research Library (ProQuest) – Search the full collection of journals and magazines for information on a broad range of general reference subjects including arts, business, humanities, social sciences, and the sciences.

Academic Search Premier (EbscoHost) – This multi-disciplinary database offers full text for more than 1,850 scholarly journals, including nearly 1,300 peer-reviewed titles. Covering virtually every area of academic study, Academic Search Elite offers full text information dating as far back as 1985.

Websites

Art History Resources on the Web – Extensive and cleanly arranged subject directory that was developed and is maintained by a professor of Art History at Sweet Briar College in the USA.

Artcyclopedia.com – Excellent resource for accessing reproductions of paintings and sculpture by artist, title, and museum. Aims to be the definitive guide to museum-quality fine art on the Internet. Searchable database of over 8,500 artists. Browseable by movement, medium, subject and nationality.

Mother of All Art and Art History Links – Sponsored by the School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan

Timeline of Art History – Beautiful website by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City presenting a “chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world”.

Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus – Consists of terms, descriptions, bibliographic citations, and other information relating to fine art, architecture, decorative arts, archival materials, and material culture.

Getty List of Artists’ Names – Includes biographical and bibliographic information about artists and architects variants

Getting help with your research

The reference librarians at AUS are happy to help with your research. For specific search strategy assistance in Art History, please contact:

Paula Deakin
Liaison Librarian for the School of Architecture and Design
Tel: 06 515 2262
pdeakin@aus.edu