Agnes Martin
Untitled Number 1
gesso, synthetic polymer paint, and pencil on canvas
1981
183x183.4cm
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Databases
As with journals, there are several databases applicable to art history. Most will index many different sources of information, and cover a wide range of periods, artist, themes, etc. The easiest way to access a particular database for a given subject is the following:
- From the University Library homepage, go to Find, Borrow, Request, then Databases A-Z, and select Databases by Subject from the drop-down menu.
- This will take you to an A-Z list of all the databases to which the University subscribes.
- From the All Subjects box, select Art & Architecture. The resulting list can then be searched alphabetically.
Each database includes a brief description, so you don't find yourself searching for Rubens in a database devoted to 20th century conceptual art, for example. Although space precludes a full list of relevant databases, some of the most popular include:
- Gale Virtual ReferenceArchival access to Gale Cengage Learning's Literature criticism online, comprising ten encyclopedias of literary criticism.
- International Bibliography of ArtCitations encompass fine arts in all media (from painting and sculpture to video and new media), decorative arts, museum studies and conservation, archaeology, folk art, material culture, classical studies, antiques, and architectural history.
- JSTORProvides page images of back issues of the core scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, and basic sciences from the earliest issues to within a few years of current publication. Users may browse by journal title or discipline, or may search the full-text or citations/abstracts. New issues of existing titles and new titles are added approximately on a weekly basis.
- Oxford Art OnlineOxford Art Online enables access and cross-search functionality to Grove and Oxford reference content in one location. Provides access to Grove Art Online, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, The Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Includes image partnerships with ARTstor, the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Art Images for College Teaching, Art Resource, Artists Rights Society and numerous international art galleries and artists.
- Oxford Bibliographies OnlineOffers peer-reviewed annotated bibliographies on specific topics in a growing range of subject areas. There are at least 50 specific topical bibliographies in each subject area. Each of these features an introduction to the topic. Bibliographies are browseable by subject area and keyword searchable. Contains a My OBO function that allows users to create personalized bibliographies of individual citations from different bibliographies.
- Arts & Humanities Citation Index This link opens in a new windowArts & Humanities Citation Index is a multidisciplinary index covering the journal literature of the arts and humanities.
- ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM) This link opens in a new windowIndexing and abstracting for journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, PhD dissertations, and exhibition reviews. Coverage is international and includes modern and contemporary art forms, both famous and lesser-known artists, movements, and trends.
- Art & Architecture Source This link opens in a new windowArt & Architecture Source provides indexing and abstracting for journals, magazines and books covering topics, including art in all media, art history and criticism, architecture, archaeology, museum studies, graphic arts and advertising, product design, interior design, costume and set design, and television, video, & film from all parts of the world and all periods of time. Covers sources from 1914 to the present with selected full text.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowThis multidisciplinary database provides access to articles from journals, magazines, and reference sources across all subject areas. Coverage is primarily from 1980 to the present, with some older content.