Subject Research Guides   University of West Florida Libraries

Art History

Reference Guides Bibliographies and Catalogs Indexes Dictionaries and Encyclopedias Biographies

Directories Symbols and Iconography Journals Internet Sources

 

Reference Guides

Art Information and the Internet: How to Find It, How to Use It. 1999. (Ref. N 59 J66 1999)

Excellent source that "characterizes and organizes the extensive art information in cyberspace" and is written for students of all ages, professors, art dealers, museum personnel and other art professionals. The author is Lois Swan Jones from the School of Visual Arts at the University of North Texas. Her contributions to art information research publications have been recognized by ARLIS: Art Libraries Society of North America.

Art Research Methods and Resources : A Guide to Finding Art Information. 1984. (Ref. N 85 J64 1984)

Although somewhat dated, Lois Swan Jones' title is still a very useful reference guide to information on art. Among the sections included are: Before Research Begins, Basic Research Methodology, Beyond Basics, General Art Research Tools, Specialized Resources for Various Media and Disciplines, Iconographical Resources and Research Centers.

Fine Arts: A Bibliographic Guide to Basic Reference Works, Histories, and Handbooks. 1990. (Ref. N 5300 E35 1990)

Donald Ehresmann's 3rd edition contains over 2,000 titles in two main sections. Entries included must treat two or more of the major media: architecture, sculpture and painting. Part 1 - Reference Works: Bibliographies, Library Catalogs, Indexes, Directories, Iconography and Historiography of Art History; Part 2 - Histories and Handbooks: Prehistoric and Primitive, Periods of Western Art History, National Histories and Handbooks of European Art, Oriental Art, New World Art, Art of Africa and Oceania. There are author-title and subject indexes.

Guide to the Literature of Art History. 1980. (Ref. N 380 A67)

Extremely comprehensive guide by Etta Arntzen and Robert Rainwater. Major subjects are: painting, sculpture, architecture, prints, drawings, photography, and decorative arts. Aesthetics, the philosophy of art and art criticism are treated only peripherally. Among the subjects excluded are advertising art, theater and festival arts, film, numismatics, seals and guidebooks (preface, p.xv).

The Humanities: A Selective Guide to Information Sources. 1994. (Ref. Z 6265 B53 1994)

A good introductory source for librarians, scholars, and teachers to the literature and reference sources in the humanities. Two chapters are devoted to the visual arts. Chapter 7, Accessing Information in the Visual Arts, includes sections on a working definition, major divisions in the field, Helpful Resources, Use and Users, Computers and Major Art Organizations. Chapter 8, Principal Information Sources in the Visual Arts, covers Art in General, Painting, Drawing, Print, Architecture, Sculpture, Photography, Applied Design, and Decorative Arts. Over 226 annotated art sources are included. Authored by Ron Blazek and Elizabeth Aversa.

Research Guide to the History of Western Art. 1982. (Ref. N 380 K56 1982)

Kleinbauer and Slaven's guide was designed for librarians, students of library sciences and other interested persons in the use of resources in the humanities. Part I, The Field of Art History includes: Art History and Related Disciplines, Determinants of Writing Art History, Studying the Art Object, Perspectives on Change, Psychological Approaches and Art and Society. Part II includes reference works.

Visual Arts Research: A Handbook. 1986. (Ref. N 85 P55 1986)

Elizabeth Pollard's handbook contains good annotations for the college and university art student.

Bibliographies and Catalogs

American Folk Art: A Guide to Sources. 1984. (Ref. NK 805 A53 1984)

The guide is arranged in 13 topics each preceded by an essay. Some of the topics are:  History, Art Criticism, Genres, Biographies, Region and Locality, Ethnicity and Religion, African-Americans, and Workers and Trades. The guide is edited by  Simon Bronner with essays by 14 contributors.

Art Books: A Basic Bibliography of Monographs on Artists. 1985. (Ref. N 40 F78 1985)

The author Wolfgang Freitag lists over 10,540 monographs on 1,870 individual artists representing all time periods and geographic locations. Emphasis is on Europe and North America.

ARTstor

ARTstor is a rich digital library that offers coherent collections of art images and descriptive information, including software tools that enable active use of its collections. The Library's initial content of 500,000 images covering art, architecture and archeology, has expanded tremendously. The collections provide various pedagogical and research use among several disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.

Bibliography of North African Prehistory [interactive multimedia]. 1998. (Ref. Desk GN 865 N67 W45 1998)

This CD covers over 6000 bibliographic citations in 10 languages and with over 100 subject categories. All aspects of prehistory, including art, are covered for the entire region, excluding Dynastic Egypt.

Bibliography of the History of Art. 1973- 

From the RLG Union Catalog Page (RLIN) click for this database under the "Select a Database" section on the right column.  "The most comprehensive and up-to-date art history bibliography available, this file covers European and American art from late antiquity to the present, indexing art-related books, conference proceedings, dissertations, exhibition and dealer's catalogs, and articles in more than 2,500 periodicals..."

Feminist Art Criticism: An Annotated Bibliography. 1993. (Ref. N 72 F45 L3 1993)

One of the first in the field of feminist art and its culture, theory and criticism. Over 1,000 publications including books, pamphlets, articles, periodicals, exhibition catalogs, newspapers, and unpublished manuscripts. These vary from scholarly monographs to alternative press publications.

Guide to the Literature of Art History. (Ref. N 380 A67)

Authored by Etta Mae Arntzen and Robert Rainwater and published by the American Library Association and the Art Book Company, it is an "extremely comprehensive work that covers more than 4,000 reference and research items in the field. The emphasis is on the needs of advanced researchers, but the coverage, featuring chapters on art history, proves useful to a general audience as well" (from Ron Blazek's The Humanities. 4th ed. p. 137). The four main sections treat General Reference Sources, General Primary and Secondary Sources, Specific Art Forms, and Serials.

Handbook of Latin American Art = Manual de arte latinoamericano: A Bibliographic Compilation. 1984- (Ref. N 6502 H36)

This is "an international collaborative project to prepare a basic, multi-volume research tool for the filed of Latin American art history...The [three] volumes identify books, articles, anthologies, exhibition catalogs, and reports (both published and unpublished) written from the late nineteenth century through July of 1983 on Latin American art and artists. Citations are in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian and other languages and cover ancient, colonial and contemporary art" (p.ix). Volume one includes General References and Art of the Nineteenth & Twentieth Centuries with Part 1 on North America, and Part 2 on South America, and Volume 2 Art of the Colonial Period.

Harvard University. Card Catalogs of the Harvard University Fine Arts Library. 1984. (Micro-fiche 500)

Contents: Part 1: Catalog of auction sales catalogs, titles cataloged thru Dec. 1983 (22 microfiches); Part 2: Dictionary catalog, titles cataloged thru Feb. 1981 (356 microfiches); Rübel Asiatic research collection, titles cataloged thru Dec. 1983; and Shelflist catalog, titles cataloged thru Dec. 1983. To search the Harvard University Libraries and Museums catalogs click here http://www.harvard.edu/museums/.

Metropolitan Museum of Art. Library Catalog of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 1980. (Micro-film 1094)

This is second revised and enlarged edition published by G.K.Hall in 48 microfilm reels. Sales catalogs in vols. 46-48. 2nd and 3rd supplements are also available. To search the MET online catalog click here http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search.asp.

RLIN Union Catalog. (Eureka)

The Research Library Group Union Catalog or RLIN, is a comprehensive database which serves as a major [United States] union catalog for everything from books and serials to archives, manuscripts, maps, music scores, sound recordings, films, photographs, posters, computer files, and more." You need to select this catalog from the database list provided.

250 Years of Afro-American Art: An Annotated Bibliography. 1981. (Ref. N 6538 N5 I36)

This source is "a comprehensive annotated bibliography of Afro-American artists, artworks, and art history. Contains over 25,000 citations that document the life and work of 3,900 artists and contribute to our knowledge of the artistic, social, and cultural life of Black Americans over three centuries of american history. Artists recognized in fine arts and crafts are included" (Preface, p. ix).

Indexes

Academic Index, 1980-  

"Indexes articles in approximately 1,000 scholarly journals and popular magazines in the arts, humanities, social sciences, science and technology. Abstracts are included for some articles. Provides access to full text of some articles."

Anthropology Plus. From the late 19th century to the present.

"The most comprehensive international resource for the fields of anthropology, archaeology, and related interdisciplinary research from the late 19th century to the present, this file describes items at least two pages long in over 1,000 journals and monographic series held in the Tozzer Library, Harvard University."

Art on Screen. 1992. (Ref. N 366 A78 1992)

This is a directory of films and videos about the visual arts compiled and edited by the Program for Art on Film for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the J. Paul Getty Trust. Includes five essays and also indexes for feature and documentary films by subject, name, and directors.

Art Full Text. 1984- and Art Index 1929/32-1983/84. (Ref. N 1 A45)

"Leading publications in the world of the arts. Includes information compiled by specialists with expertise in all fields of art to provide an international perspective on many art subjects. Indexes major English-language periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins, as well as European periodicals in a number of different languages." Indexes over 400 publications in the following subjects: archaeology, industrial design, architecture, interior design, art history, landscape architecture, city planning, museology, computer applications, painting, computer graphics, photography, crafts, sculpture, film, television, folk art, textiles, graphic arts and video.

Arts & Humanities Citation Index. 1980-

Also listed as AHSearch, this database "Indexes the world's leading arts and humanities journals from selected articles from social science and science journals. It indexes articles, bibliographies, editorials, letters, and reviews from over 1,300 sources."

ATLA Religion Index. 1949-

"The ATLA Religion Database is the premier index to journal articles, book reviews, and collections of essays in all scholarly fields of religion, [including art]. Featuring articles written in 36 languages, ATLA includes over 400,000 article citations from over 1,400 journals, 600 of which are currently indexed. It also provides bibliographic coverage of over 200,000 essay citations from 15,500 multi-author works, over 375,000 book reviews, and features 128,000 subject-headings.

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. 1930-

This database "indexes more than 2,000 periodicals published worldwide on archaeology, city planning, interior design, and historic preservation, as well as architecture. Coverage is from the 1930s (with selective coverage dating back to the 1860s) to the present. The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals is updated daily."

Bibliography of the History of Art. 1973- 

"The most comprehensive and up-to-date art history bibliography available, this file covers European and American art from late antiquity to the present, indexing art-related books, conference proceedings, dissertations, exhibition and dealer's catalogs, and articles in more than 2,500 periodicals..."

FRANCIS (Humanities & Social Sciences). 1984-

This database is an index to multilingual, multi-disciplinary information in the humanities, social sciences, economics, religion, the history of art, and literature.

Index to American Art Exhibition Catalogues. 1986. (Ref. N 6507 .Y376 1986)

From the National Museum of American Art, this catalog includes entries from the beginning through the 1876 centennial year. " The purpose of the project was not merely to index the publications of specific institutions, but also to provide insight into what artworks Americans in all parts of the country exhibited and viewed." Contents are: v. 1. Exhibition title index, by location. Artist index A-C; v. 2-5 Artist index D-Z; v. 6. Artist index, unidentified, Owner index, Subject index.

Index to Art Periodicals. 1962-1975. (Ref. N 1 C55 and Ref. N 1 C55 Suppl.)

A publication of the Ryerson Library at the Art Institute in Chicago.

Index to 19th Century Art Periodicals.

This database is an index to 42 American art journals published between 1840s and 1909. "Offers essential information on artists and illustrators, painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, architecture and design, exhibitions and sales, decoration, and collecting."

Index to Reproductions of American Paintings: A Guide to Pictures Occurring in More than Eight Hundred Books. 1948-1977. (Ref. ND 205 M57)

An old standard in the field of art reference, covers reproductions found in books and exhibition catalogs. Arranged alphabetically by name of artist, title of work, and subjects. There are also two supplements (Ref. ND205 M57 suppl. and Ref. ND 205 S575).

World Painting Index. 1977-1989. (Ref. ND 45 H38)

This is a collection of citations to reproductions of paintings appearing in books. Covers mainly European and American paintings, it is still a very important reference tool. For electronic art history resources on the web, visit Christopher Witcombe' excellent award winning art page http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Artcyclopedia

"The guide to great art on the Internet, with 1800 art sites, over 60,000 links to an estimated 150,000 artworks by 8,100 renowned artists." The information available by artist's name, keyword(s) in the title, and also by art movement, art museums, or medium. One may browse lists of women artists or artist's nationality. The site also includes feature articles, art news around the world, and links to glossaries of Greek and Roman Mythology and Christian Saints. "Artcyclopedia was created by John Malyon, an IT professional, web developer, and entrepreneur currently living in Calgary, Canada."

ArtLex Art Dictionary

"You will find definitions for more than 3,100 terms used in visual culture, along with thousands of images, pronunciation notes, great quotations and cross-references." Also below the INDEX section, there "is a list of SHORTCUTS to some of the longer articles." Maintain by Michael Delahunt, M.F.A.

The Design Encyclopedia. 1994. (Ref. NK 1370 B93 1994)

Intended "to provide accurate and detailed information on people, firms, and materials, directly associated with the production of the decorative and applied arts in the past 125 years. Most of the entries are for designers of furniture, textiles, glass, metalware, wallpaper, and interiors as well as ceramists, industrial designers, and interior architects." It covers Eastern and Western Europe, Japan, Australia, North and South America.

A Dictionary of Architecture. 1999. (Ref. NA 31 C86 1999)

This book, published by Oxford University Press, provides a wide range of entries, including biographies of architects, styles, building types, and certain regional movements in Western Architecture.

Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes. 2000. (Ref. NX 456 .K67 2000)

"This unique interdisciplinary guide to the cutting edge art movement...includes resources on literature, film, music, art, architecture, theater, dance, design, and esthetics."

Encyclopedia of Sculpture. 3 vols. 2004. (Ref. NB 198 .E53 2004)

"Entries appear in alphabetical order and explore the subject of sculpture from the viewpoints of history, criticism, theory, production, training, and conservation, as well as from the more traditional approaches of biography and critical analysis of individual works of art."

Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1762-1850. 1999. (Ref. NX 425.5 .R64 E53 2004))

"A cultural encyclopedia covering the last decade of the eighteenth-century and the first half of the nineteenth-century in Britain, continental Europe, and the Americas."

Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Architecture. 3 vols. 2004. (Ref. NA 680 .E945 2004)

This three-volume set includes architectural topics such as: materials and buildings, technology, building types, stylistic and theoretical terms, schools and movements, practice, planning, biographies and firms, critics and historians, and places.

Encyclopedia of World Art. 17 vols. 1959-1988. (Ref. N 31 E4833)

This encyclopedia contains signed articles by experts and although dated, it is very valuable for technical and detailed information in the field of art.

Grove's Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. 1996. (Ref. N 31 D5 1996) and Grove Art Online

"Offers as many types of articles as possible in order to accommodate the wide range of topics of interest to modern students and historians of art. These articles vary in length from a few lines to hundreds of pages. Combined with extensive cross-references and alternative head works and an index of some 750,000 items...Entries are further supplemented by detailed bibliographies...to reflect the most important past and recent scholarship." The only visual art form excluded is the history of film making. (Preface, p.vii).

The HarperCollins Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques. 1991. (Ref. N33 M37 1991)

One of the standard dictionaries in the field, covering the terminology and techniques of a wide range of art activity.

International Dictionary of Art and Artists. 1990. (Ref. N 40 I55 1990)

Volume One provides information on 500 important European and American artists from the 13th to the 20th centuries. It includes painters, sculptors, and engravers. Biographical information is followed by a critical essay and a listing of the most important works by the artist. Volume Two deals with 500 individual works of art in chronological sequence.

Materials & Techniques in the Decorative Arts: An Illustrated Dictionary. 2000. (Ref. NK 30 M38 2000)

This dictionary, published by the Chicago University Press, "aims to describe and illustrate the creative processes, but not to serve as a craft manual." It covers media such as textiles, metals, wood, ceramics, glass, stone and paper, and also gemstones, ivory, lacquer, leather, and shell. The dictionary is edited by Lucy Trench and contains bibliographies, pp.558-569.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Art. 1969. (Ref. N 33 M23)

A ready reference of three-dimensional art with 15,000 entries by 125 contributors in 5 volumes. "A major portion of the work is given to biographies of painters, sculptors, architects, industrial designers and decorative artists form all periods and all countries." Also includes definition of terms, individual movements, and technical terms for both Eastern and Western art.

The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 1988. (Ref. N 33 O93 1988)

One of the useful one-volume Oxford publications, with some 3,000 entries providing brief descriptions of various aspects of Western art. Includes personalities, periods, schools, techniques, paintings, graphics, and sculptures, but architecture is excluded.

The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art Terms. 1984. (Ref. N 33 L75 1984)

An illustrated one-volume dictionary designed to serve as a field guide to the arts. Includes cross-references and tables.

Biographies

For locating biographical information in other non-art reference sources consult the ELi Page Locating Biographical Information.

Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der antike bis zur gegenwart. 1907-50. (Ref. N 40 T4)

Also known as the Thieme-Becker, is considered the most complete and scholarly biographical reference work in the field of art. Includes over 50,000 artists from all countries and all time periods. The bibliographies at the end of each entry include reference to books, catalogs, and periodical articles.

Artists of the American West: A Biographical Dictionary. 3 vols. 1974-1985. (Ref. N 6536 D38)

A comprehensive biographical three-volume dictionary covering over 4,000 artists "who worked in the 17 states lying roughly west of the 95th meridian." Aimed as a resource for collectors, curators, librarians, researchers, laymen and art dealers. It includes very brief biographical entries to painters, illustrators, and printmakers.

Biographical Dictionary of Japanese Art. 1981. (Ref. N 7350 B44)

The general purpose of this title is to represent the multi-faceted artistic production in Japan. "To the Japanese, inspiration and skill are not limited to pictorial and sculptural works, but are found in utensils and accoutrements of everyday life" (Preface). Biographical sketches are grouped by the following categories: painting, prints, calligraphy, photography, graphic design, sculpture, tea ceremony, architecture, gardens, ceramics, swords, metalwork, textiles, and lacquer.

Contemporary Artists. 1989. (Ref. N 6490 C6567 1989)

Includes over 850 artists from various media in the fine and applied arts. Those who died before world War II are excluded. Entries include a brief biography, references to exhibitions and collections, a bibliography by and about the artist, name of agent or dealer, and a signed critical essay.

Contemporary Latin American Artists: Exhibitions at the Organization of American States 1941-1964. 1997. (Stacks N 6502.5 C659 1997)

Also available is the Contemporary Latin American Artists. 1965-1985.(Book Stacks N 6502.5 C66 1993).

Dictionary of Contemporary American Artists. 1994. (Ref. N 6512 C854 1994)

It is recognized as the standard dictionary for American artists. There are some 900 artists who have attained a certain stature or status, mostly painters and some sculptors and printmakers. Includes a pronunciation guide to artists names and some black-and-white illustrations.

A Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Artists, 1420-1970. 1993. (Ref. N 6998 M55 1993)

An illustrated dictionary with an introductory essay by the editor John Milner. Includes painters, theater designers, illustrators, graphic artists, sculptors, and ceramic artists. Biographical information vary from one sentence to a couple of double-column pages.

Dictionary of Women Artists. 2 vols. 1997. (Ref. N 8354 D53 1997)

This dictionary "contains substantial entries on artists working in a wide variety of media from the Middle Ages to the present day, in countries throughout Europe as well as America and Australasia." There are also eleven Introductory Surveys (Convents, Court Artists, Copyists, Printmakers, etc.), Alphabetical and Chronological List of Artists.

Dictionary of Women Artists: An International Dictionary of Women Artists Born Before 1900. (Ref. N 43 P47 1985)

More than 21,000 female painters, printmakers, illustrators, sculptors are included. Not included are: photographers, architects, craftwomen and designers. A valuable reference tool useful also to identify elusive or obscure names.

Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs de tous les temps et de tous les pays. 10 vols. 1976. (Ref. N 40 B47 1976)

Rated by art librarians as a vital multi-volume biographical dictionary. Coverage includes artists from the 5th century B.C. to the mid-20th century Eastern and Western cultures. Articles provide a list of the artist's chief works and museums where they are displayed. Volume 10 includes a brief bibliography.

 

Grove's Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. 1996. (Ref. N 31 D5 1996) and Grove Art Online

"Offers as many types of articles as possible in order to accommodate the wide range of topics of interest to modern students and historians of art. These articles vary in length from a few lines to hundreds of pages. Combined with extensive cross-references and alternative head works and an index of some 750,000 items...Entries are further supplemented by detailed bibliographies...to reflect the most important past and recent scholarship." The only visual art form excluded is the history of film making. (Preface, p.vii).

International Dictionary of Art and Artists. 1990. (Ref. N 7425 I67 1990)

Volume One provides information on 500 important European and American artists from the 13th to the 20th centuries. It includes painters, sculptors, and engravers. Biographical information is followed by a critical essay and a listing of the most important works by the artist. Volume Two deals with 500 individual works of art in chronological sequence.

Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers. 1986. (Ref. N 6536 F5 1986)

One of the standard biographical tools with nearly 13,000 American artists of all time periods. Provides comprehensive information on major and minor artists.

Who Was Who in American Art. 1985. (Ref. N 6512 F26 1985)

Compiled from the original thirty-four volumes of American Art Annual and Who's Who in Art, Biographies of American Artists Active from 1898-1947, and edited by Peter Hastings Falk. Includes over 25,000 deceased persons associated in some way with American art, such as painters, sculptors, printmakers, illustrators, photographers, cartoonists, critics, curators, educators and craft people.

Who's Who in American Art. 1966- (Ref. N 6536 W5)

Includes living personalities from 75 related disciplines from all spectra of art in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico. Includes indexes by geographical location and professional classification.

Who's Who in Art. 1927, 1968, 1977- (Ref. N 40 W6 1990)

A comprehensive biographical directory of primarily British artists and one of the oldest continuing reference tools in the field. Artists entries also include present address and manner of signing their work.

Women Artists in the United States: A Selective Bibliography and Resource Guide on the Fine and Decorative Arts, 1750-1986. 1990. (Ref. N 6536 W6)

A comprehensive work treating female American artists of all types (except needlework), with an excellent set of introductory essays by 16 specialists. There are over 2,500 artists including African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, and Latin Americans.

Directories

American Art Directory. 1999- (Ref. N 50 A54)

Published for the American Federation of Arts, this source includes over 7,000 art museums, libraries, associations, schools, and studios in the United States and Canada. It is considered the standard art directory for the U.S.

Art Museums Worldwide

From the Artcyclopedia website, this directory includes seaching museums by browsing country categories: Africa, Asia, Canada, Central & South America, Europe, Middle & Near East, and the United States, and also by name or location.

Art in America. Annual Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists. 1982- (Periodicals N 1 A43)

This is a special August issue of the journal Art in America.

The Fine Artist's Career Guide. 1998. (Ref. N 8350 G73 1998)

Sections included are: Selecting an Art School, Looking for a Job, Establishing a Presence in the Art World, Search for Art-Related Income, Putting One's Talent to Work, Arts-Related Employment, Making a Living as a Printmaker or Sculptor, Careers in the Art World, and Careers in Design. For general career sources you may click here for the Library's ELi Page  Researching Your Career.

International Directory of Arts. 1998- (Ref. N 50 I6)

This is the most comprehensive international directory for the arts. It identifies organizations and people. For example, in the 25th edition there were 6,500 new entries for museums and 8,000 for art dealers. All entries are arranged according to chapters, country, names, place names and names of museums or companies. There is also a name index for museum staff.

The Official Museum Directory. 2000- (Ref. AM 10 A2 O4)

This publication of the American Association of Museums is regarded by many as the standard tool for locating and identifying all types of museums in the United States. More than 7,000 institution are identified, including associations, museums, gardens and zoos. There is a subject and geographical guide.

Virtual Library Museums Page

This is a comprehensive directory of on-line museums and museum-related resources. Besides its main geographical section, it also includes links to galleries, libraries, books, children, computing, professional contacts, and other lists.

Symbols and Iconography

Christian Symbols, Ancient and Modern: A Handbook for Students. 1972. (Book Stacks BV 150 C53 1972)

One of the standard tools in iconography by Heather Child and Dorothy Colles. Contains numerous illustrations of symbols found in decorative or applied arts of carving, embroidery, stained glass, etc. Divided into categories of representations of the cross, the trinity, angels, and Christ.

A Dictionary of Symbols. 1996. (Ref. GR 931 C4413 1996)

This one-volume dictionary includes symbols from folklore and mythology. It is a translation from Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant French publication of the same title. Bibliographical references are included (pp. 1150-1174).

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of Art. 1998. (Ref. N 7560 E53 1998)

This two-volume dictionary includes over 200 signed essays with selected works of art and a recommended reading list. It also provides seven extensive indexes to historical personages, places and concepts within ancient mythology, Judeo-Christian world, the Bible and other sacred books, and also to literary texts, composers, filmmakers, and folktales.

Dogon Masks: A Structural Study of Form and Meaning. 1982. (Book Stacks DT 551.42 D45)

This is a study of the Dogon masks from Mali by Barbara DeMott and published in the series Studies in the Fine Arts. Iconography, no. 4, includes bibliography and index.

The Iconography and Ritual of Siva at Elephanta. 1988. (Book Stacks NB 1007 E34 C64 1988)

A work on the Hindu deity of Siva in the Island of Elephanta "located in Bombay Harbour in the Arabian Sea. In the early 16th century Portuguese navigators named the island Ilha Elefante (Elephant Island) in reference to a large stone elephant that was found there. Includes a bibliography pp. 217-236.

Iconographie de l'art chrétien. 1988. (Book Stacks N 7830 R33 1988)

This French language tool on Christian art iconography is divided as follows: Volume 1, General Introduction; Volume 2, Parts 1-2, The Bible; and Volume 3, Parts 1-3, Saints. The iconography is a reprint of the 1955-1959 edition published by Presses Universitaires de France in Paris, by By Louis Réau.

Iconography of Christian Art. 1971. (Book Stacks N 7830 S35132)

Translated from Gertrud Schiller's original German language on the iconography of the figure of Jesus Christ: Volume 1, Christ's incarnation, childhood, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, works, and miracles; and Volume 2, The Passion of Christ.

The Iconography of the Teotihuacan Tlaloc. 1974. (Book Stacks E51 S85 no. 15)

This is a volume from the Harvard University series Studies in Pre-Columbian Art & Archaeology by Esther Pasztory. Also from the series is The Iconography of the Art of Teotihuacan (Book Stacks E 51 S85 no.4).

Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art. 1994. (Ref. N 7740 H35 1994)

James Hall's dictionary includes symbols for abstract signs, animals, artifacts, earth and sky, human body and dress, and plants.

Current Art Journals

The following is a partial list of current journals available on the second floor of the John C. Pace Library. Check our library catalog for other current online art periodicals, and also for retrospective issues for such journals as Gazzette des Beaux Arts, Res, Graphis and Art Quarterly.

For other selected full-text online journals visit Project MUSE. This database includes the following art related journals: American Quarterly, Callaloo, 18th Century Life, Hopscotch, Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Journal of the History of Ideas, Manoa, Modernism/Modernity, South Atlantic Quarterly, PMC: Post-Modern Culture, Popular Culture, Substance, Technology and Culture, Victorian Studies and Yale Journal of Criticism.

Internet Sites

Architecture Web Sites
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/archweb_links.html

Sections included are: General Sources including Surveys and Guides, Interior Design, Image Archives, 3-D Models, Careers, Theory, Urban Planning, Maps, Landscape Architecture & Gardens, Online Journals, Historic Preservations and Engineering. Also included are links to American, Western and Non-Western architecture by periods. This page is maintained by professor Jeffery Howe from Boston College.

ARLIS
http://www.arlisna.org/

"Founded in 1972, the Art Libraries Society of North America represents a creative diversity of expertise and interests. Producers, purveyors, and users of all types of art information join in dynamic collaboration."

Art History Resources on the Web
http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html

An award winning web site devoted to art history including: Prehistoric, Ancient, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th through 20th Centuries, and Non-European Art. Also included are sections on Research Resources, Museums & Galleries, and Prints & Photography. Created by Christopher Witcombe, Professor of Art History and hosted by Sweet Briar College in Virginia.

Center for Creative Photography
http://www.creativephotography.org

"The CCCP at the University of Arizona, is a museum and research center devoted to photography as an art form...Founded in 1975 from the combined vision of photographer Ansel Adams and John P. Schaefer, offers changing exhibitions, Print Viewing from the photography collection, Research Center archives, educational programs, Library and a Museum Store."

The J. Paul Getty Trust
http://www.getty.edu/

"The J. Paul Getty Trust is a private operating foundation dedicated to the visual arts and the humanities. Through its Museum and work in conservation, education, research, information technology, and grant-making, the Getty provides opportunities for people to more fully understand, experience, value, and preserve the world's artistic and cultural heritage."

The George Eastman House
http://www.eastmanhouse.org/

The Photography Collections Online from the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY, presents sampler online images from their impressive collections. Categories include are: stereo views, lantern slides, the Pre-Cinema Project, and other collections by artist and subject. To access the collection click on the Collections Online button.

Image Search from AltaVista
http://www.altavista.com/image/default

Searches the web for photos, graphics, and buttons/banners in color or black-and-white.

Image Search from Google
http://www.google.com

Click on the Image tab and searches for photos and graphics in color or black-and-white.

The Pensacola Art Museum
http://www.pensacolamuseumofart.org/

Includes general information, exhibitions, events, calendar and also workshops and activities for the community.

The University of West Florida Art Gallery
http://uwf.edu/artgallery/uwfgallery/

Includes general information about permanent collections, calendar of events, upcoming exbihitions, and also links to art organizations within the area.

Virtual Library Museums Page
http://www.icom.org/vlmp/

This is a comprehensive directory of on-line museums and museum-related resources. Besides its main geographical section, it also includes links to galleries, libraries, books, children, computing, professional contacts, and other lists.

World Wide Arts Sources Corporation
http://wwar.com/

"This interactive arts gateway will give you access to artists, museums, galleries, high quality art, art history, arts education, antiques, dance, theater, classified ads, resume postings, arts chats, discussion forums and much more."

Created by Alberto H. Hernández, Humanities Research Librarian
University of West Florida Library
Date Updated: May 2007