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Art & Art History

Find Background Information

Dictionaries and encyclopedias provide background information on a topic or concept.

Find Art Books

Books are an essential part of art and art history research. Three of the most common types of art books are

Monographs - books about a single artist's work

Exhibition Catalogs - books documenting a museum or gallery exhibition

Catalogues Raisonnés - books that document all the known works by a single artist

Use the Library Search on the Library's Homepage to find these and other types of art/art history books.

SEARCH HINT: About 1/2 of all the art books in Honnold/Mudd are oversized and are on a different set of shelves--look for the word FOLIO to find them.

SEARCH HINT 2: to find exhibition catalogs, add the keyword "exhibitions" to your search

To borrow books we don't own or that are checked out, use the "Get This Item" button to have the book delivered from another library.

Find articles in art magazines and scholarly journals

Remember that some art journals are magazines are only in print. Use the "Get This Item" button to link to full text or to request a PDF. 

Besides the resources below, you can browse a partial listing of the Library's art journal subscriptions.

Find Art Images

Tip: Also try searching museum image collections, some of which provide high-quality image downloads. Some examples are:

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Getty Museum
  • The National Gallery
  • Tate Modern

Additionally, be sure to use art responsibly and check the image's copyright.

Find Video/Sound Art and Videos on Artists

Video Art and Videos on Artist on DVDs You Can Check Out

Video/Sound Art + Artists Talking About Art - Recommended Websites