Useful Websites for Art Historians

For all web resources and databases developed by History of Art research projects, please see this web page:  Institute of Art History Projects and Networks

E-Journals and Databases at University of Glasgow Library

Please look at the Univ. of Glasgow Library’s ‘search for library items’ webpage as there are thousands of resources available there.

University of Glasgow Library’s ‘Support for History of Art’ webpage- http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/library/howtofindinformation/in-depthinfoforsubject/historyofart/

Bibliography of the History of Art - http://eleanor.lib.gla.ac.uk/record=b2592740~S13
The most comprehensive bibliography of scholarly writing about the history of Western art from late antiquity to the present. BHA encompasses fine arts—painting, sculpture, drawing, prints, and architecture—as well as decorative and applied arts—crafts, graphic arts, folk, and popular art. Indexes and abstracts art-related books, articles from more than 2,500 of periodicals, conference proceedings, theses, and exhibition and dealers' catalogues in many languages. Includes publications since 1973. (GUID login required for off-campus use)

Grove Dictionary of Art (Grove Art Online) - http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/
Over 45,000 articles and biographies on every aspect of the visual arts, from prehistory to the present day. Also includes the full text of the Dictionary of Art, the Oxford Companion to Western Art, the Encyclopaedia of Aesthetics, and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. (GUID login required for off-campus use)

Journal of Art Historiography - http://arthistoriography.wordpress.com/ 
The world’s first journal specifically dedicated to the pursuit of art historiography in its broadest and most supple sense. Besides articles, it will accept notes, reviews, letters and translations. It includes both peer-reviewed and commissioned contributions.

Oscholars - http://www.oscholars.com/
A group of journals and webpages devoted to exploring the literature and arts of the fin-de-siècle. Topics include Oscar Wilde, John Ruskin, George Bernard Shaw, women's literature, arts and crafts and design and Gothic and Sensation fiction.

Periodicals Index Online - http://pio.chadwyck.co.uk/home.do
This database allows content searching of 4,000 humanities and social science periodicals from the 18th century to the present; 400 of the periodicals are available in full-text. (GUID login required for off-campus use)

Scipio Art and Rare Books Sales Catalogues - http://eleanor.lib.gla.ac.uk/search/y?SEARCH=scipio&SORT=D&searchscope=13 
 Provides subject access to art sales catalogues by auction house and/or topic covering sales from the late 16th century to the present. Records include the dates and places of sales, the auction houses, sellers, institutional holdings, and titles of works. (GUID login required for off-campus use)

 

Art Market & Auction Houses

ArtNet- http://www.artnet.com/

Online art auctions, price database, market trends, etc.

Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers - http://www.bonhams.com/

Christie’s Auction House - http://www.christies.com

Invaluable.com - http://www.invaluable.com
Online art auctions, past price database, information on artists.

McTear’s Auction House (Glasgow) - http://www.mctears.co.uk/

Society of London Art Dealers - http://www.slad.org.uk/
Represents fine art dealers throughout the United Kingdom and is the principal trade association in the UK for dealers in visual arts.

Sotheby’s Auction House - http://www.sothebys.com/

Biographies & Personal Papers

 

Artists' Papers Register - http://www.apr.ac.uk/artists/home.htm
A location register of the papers of artists, designers and craftspeople held in publicly accessible collections in the United Kingdom and Ireland

British Picture Frame Makers: 1750-1950 - http://www.npg.org.uk/research/conservation/directory-of-british-framemakers.php
A selective directory of framemakers and carvers and gilders, who produced frames for identified artists or who advertised extensively in art periodicals. Many worked in London but others were based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich, Oxford, Cambridge and Bath. From the National Portrait Gallery.

British Picture Restorers: 1630-1950 - http://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/directory-of-british-picture-restorers.php
A directory of leading picture, paper and sculpture restorers, active in Britain before 1950, who worked on major collections or who advertised extensively in art periodicals. Many worked in London but others were based in Bath, Derby, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hull, Leamington, Manchester, Nottingham and Plymouth. From the National Portrait Gallery.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society - http://www.crmsociety.com/
Brief biography of Mackintosh's life, a timeline of his life and works, information on Margaret MacDonald, James Herbert McNair and Frances MacDonald. There is a browsable photo library of his architecture and much information on visiting those places.

Dictionary of Art Historians - http://www.dictionaryofarthistorians.org/
A Biographical Dictionary of Historic Scholars, Museum Professionals and Academic Historians of Art. Searchable by name or a complete list of entries is browsable. From Duke University. (This site is especially helpful for students taking the History and Methodology course)

Dictionary of Scottish Architects: 1840-1980 - http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/index.php
A database providing biographical information and job lists for all architects known to have worked in Scotland during the period 1840-1980, whether as principals, assistants or apprentices. Searchable by name or location of architect, practice, or building, as well as by client. Architects based in Scotland have their known works fully catalogued; but only the Scottish works of English and Irish architects have been included.

Grove Dictionary of Art (Grove Art Online) - http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/
Over 45,000 articles and biographies on every aspect of the visual arts, from prehistory to the present day. Also includes the full text of the Dictionary of Art, the Oxford Companion to Western Art, the Encyclopaedia of Aesthetics, and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. (Login with GUID required for off-campus use)

New British Artists - http://www.newbritishartists.co.uk/
A gallery promoting the work of the best new graduates from art schools around the UK and established in 1999. The gallery website has biographical information for artists and images of current and sold works.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - http://www.oxforddnb.com/
A searchable collection of 55,000 specially written biographies, which describe the lives of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond. (Login with GUID required for off-campus use)

Union List of Artist Names Online (ULAN) - http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/ulan/
ULAN includes names and associated information about artists. Artists in ULAN generally represent creators involved in the conception or production of visual arts and architecture. Some patrons and donors are also included. Searchable by name, role and nationality. Gives a brief biography, preferred spelling of name, place of birth and death, nationality, places of activity and links to sources of information.

Copyright / Digitisation

JISC Digital Media - http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/

The remit of JISC Digital Media is 'to support and advise the academic community on digitisation and use of digital resources'. This is a JISC Advisory Service. Contains advice and tutorials on scanning, managing digitisation projects, finding and using digital images. Easy to use and up to date, a great resource.


• It includes a tutorial on the Roles and Responsibilities for Staff Using Images for Teaching and Research. 

http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/stillimages/advice/roles-and-responsibilities-images-for-teaching-and-research/

Criticism / Reviews

 

CAA Reviews - http://www.caareviews.org/
Critical reviews of books, exhibitions, and projects in all areas and periods of art history and visual studies. Reviews are browsable by category and searchable by keyword. Published by the College Art Association. A subscription is required to view reviews in their entirety.

The PreRaphaelite Critic - http://www.engl.duq.edu/servus/PR_Critic/index.html
Periodical criticism of the PreRaphaelite movement 1846-1900. Contains a full text bibliography of criticism published between 1846-1860, contemporary parodies of works from the movement and audio files of poetry from a 1965 Decca/Argo Records release of The Pre-Raphaelites.

Decorative Arts

 

 

An Archive of Book Cover Designs and Designers- http://bookcoverarchive.com/
View hundreds of recent book cover designs 'for the purpose of appreciation.' Browsable by designer, illustrator, photographer, author, and other categories (some categories are under development). From book cover enthusiasts.

Dust Jackets From American and European Books, 1926-1947 - http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/explore/?collection=DustJacketsfromAmeri&col_id=157
Collection of images of 'more than 2,000 original specimens of book jackets from trade books.' The jackets 'are from books published in the United States and Europe. The dominant Art Deco design trends of the early years are evident.' Browse by year, or search by keyword. From the New York Public Library (NYPL).

General Reference

 

ArtLex: Art Dictionary - http://www.artlex.com/
Definitions for more than 3,600 terms used in discussing art and visual culture, along with thousands of supporting images, pronunciation notes, quotations and cross-references.

Encyclopedia Mythica - http://www.pantheon.org/
An encyclopedia of mythology, folklore, and religion. Here you will find everything from A-gskw to Zveda Vechanyaya, with plenty in between. There is an image gallery which is especially good for Greek mythology.

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History - http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/
An incredibly useful site from the Metropolitan Museum of Art that includes themed essays on a variety of art history topics (artists, styles, periods, etc.); a timeline of art history, world maps with linked essays on the place and art works related to that place and a searchable database of 6,000 images.

New Advent (the Catholic Encyclopaedia) – http://www.newadvent.org/cathen 
Proposes to give its readers full and authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine.

Nineteenth-century Scholarship Online - http://www.nines.org
Search or browse by tag clowd hundreds of thousands of peer-reviewed digital objects from 58 federated sites. Includes papers, illustrated exhibits and more. Nines is a peer-reviewing body for digital work in the long 19th-century (1770-1920), both British and American.

Victoria Research Web - http://victorianresearch.org/
A guide to resources for Victorian research. How to find information in archives, libraries, printed sources such as newspapers and journals. Searchable, browseable and very helpful.

Historic Monuments & Buildings

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society - http://www.crmsociety.com/
Brief biography of Mackintosh's life, a timeline of his life and works, information on Margaret MacDonald, James Herbert McNair and Frances MacDonald. There is a browsable photo library of his architecture and much information on visiting those places.

The National Trust for Scotland - http://www.nts.org.uk
The National Trust for Scotland is a charity that takes care of 128 properties scattered around Scotland. Brief information on properties and photos are available.

Historic Scotland - http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
An executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Over 300 properties are in Historic Scotland's care. Brief information on each property is available.

Historic Scotland Images - http://www.historicscotlandimages.gov.uk/
Thousands of images of properties cared for by Historic Scotland. Images are searchable by keyword and browsable by type and era.

English Heritage - http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
The Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment. English Heritage has over 400 properties in its care including palaces, stately homes and abbeys. Brief information on each property available. Their learning and resources section is particularly rich in useful information.

National Monuments Record - http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19915
The public archive of English Heritage. Includes over 320,000 contemporary images of England's listed buildings, over 70,000 historic images from 1850s to present day, and a database of archaeological and architectural records and more.

The National Trust (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/
The National Trust is a charity that takes care of over 300 historic houses and gardens and 49 industrial monuments and mills around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Brief information on each property is searchable and browsable by area. Their conservation, learning and heritage section is particularly useful.

The National Trust Photo Library - http://www.ntpl.org.uk/index2.pgi
A collection of contemporary photography which illustrates the properties in the National Trust's care.

Image Sources

 

ArtCyclopedia: the fine art search engine- http://www.artcyclopedia.com/
An index of every artist represented at hundreds of museum sites, image archives, and other online resources. Basically, it’s a website of links to online images (most at museums) for thousands of artists. You can browse or search by artist, movement, title, art museum and more.

The Artchive - http://www.artchive.com/
Hosts many images which are browsable by artist name and movement. Also contains biographical information, critiques and bibliographies for artists and movements.

Art Renewal Centre (ARC) - http://www.artrenewal.org
Features tens of thousands of high quality images of the 'greatest painters and sculptors in human history'. Searchable by artist surname and work title. Also contains a ‘Living Masters’ gallery of living artists who specialize in contemporary realism.

CANMORE - http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/
There are roughly 60,000 images available on-line. These are drawn from the survey photographs, aerial photographs and drawings produced by RCAHMS (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland). CANMORE contains details of c.250,000 archaeological sites, ancient monuments, buildings and maritime sites in Scotland. Searchable by place, type and name of site or building, date, collection, etc. You will need to register to use the database.

The Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Online Collection - http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html
Many of the catalogue records are accompanied by digital images--about one million digital images in all. The images include those of people, historic events, architecture and the environment. Images are searchable and are also grouped by collection.

National Geographic’s Photography Gallery - http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography
Thousands of photographs arranged in categories. Includes temples, tombs, architecture, cityscapes and lots of wildlife and people.

SCRAN - http://www.scran.ac.uk/
Hosts 360,000 images, movies and sounds from museums, galleries, archives and the media. Searchable by artist name, title, image contributor, geographic area, etc.  Resources are also pre-grouped by event, famous person, etc.  Part of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; it aims to provide educational access to digital materials representing our material culture and history.

VADS – http://www.vads.ac.uk/collections/index.html
A portfolio of visual art collections comprising over 100,000 images that are freely available and copyright cleared for use in teaching, learning and research in the UK.
Includes:
National Inventory of Continental European Paintings - http://www.vads.ac.uk/collections/NIRP/index.php
The first phase of an on-line inventory of all the 22,000 pre-1900 Continental European oil paintings in the UK's public collections. Created by the National Inventory Research Project (NIRP), based at the University of Glasgow. It contains detailed records, and an increasing number of digital images, of nearly 8,000 paintings, principally in smaller regional collections. Searchable by keyword, artist/school name, collection.

Web Gallery of Art - http://www.wga.hu/
A virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism periods (1100-1850), currently containing over 21.300 reproductions. Browsable by artist and searchable by artist, time period, text and form.

Libraries & Archives

European

ArtLibraries.net - www.artlibraries.net
A 'meta-library catalogue' that allows the user to access art library catalogues across Europe with one search.

Glasgow & Scotland

Glasgow University Archives - www.archives.gla.ac.uk/

Glasgow University Library – www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/

Glasgow University Library Special Collections - http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk

Glasgow University Emblems - www.emblems.arts.gla.ac.uk/
An Emblem is a symbolic picture with accompanying text, of a type which developed in the sixteenth century and enjoyed an enormous vogue for the next 200 years or more.

The Mitchell Library (Glasgow) - www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Library_Services/The_Mitchell/

The National Library of Scotland - www.nls.uk/

The National Archives of Scotland - www.nas.gov.uk

 

United Kingdom

Artists’ Papers Register - www.apr.ac.uk/artists/home.htm
A location register of the papers of artists, designers and craftspeople held in publicly accessible collections in the United Kingdom and Ireland

The British Library (London) - www.bl.uk/

The Bodleian Library (Oxford) - www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley

The National Art Library (@ the V&A Museum) - www.vam.ac.uk/nal/

 

United States

Archives of American Art (Smithsonian Institute) - www.aaa.si.edu/
The AAA includes 16 million items, 5,000 collections, and 4,000 oral histories. It is the world’s largest and most widely used resource on the history of art in America. Search the collection, view finding aids, browse entire digitised collections from selected people and organisations.

The Library of Congress - www.loc.gov/index.html

The Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Online Collection - www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html
Many of the catalogue records are accompanied by digital images--about one million digital images in all. The images include those of people, historic events, architecture and the environment. Images are searchable and are also grouped by collection.

Museum & Library Councils / Official Bodies

 

 

ARLIS (Art Libraries Association for UK & Ireland) – http://www.arlis.org.uk/
Promoting excellence in library and information provision for the visual arts, architecture and design.

CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) - http://www.cilip.org.uk/

International Council of Museums - http://icom.museum/

Museums Association (United Kingdom) - http://www.museumsassociation.org/

Museums Galleries Scotland - http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/

Museums & Art Galleries

 

Worldwide Directory of Online Museums - http://icom.museum/vlmp/
Maintained by the International Council of Museums.

 

Web Gallery of Art - http://www.wga.hu/
A virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism periods (1100-1850), currently containing over 21.300 reproductions.

 

United Kingdom

The 24 Hour Museum / Culture 24 - http://www.culture24.org.uk/home
Thousands of UK museums, galleries, archives and libraries, all in one place.

The British Museum - http://www.britishmuseum.org/

Edinburgh Museums and Art Galleries - http://www.cac.org.uk/

Glasgow Museums - http://www.glasgowmuseums.com

Glasgow School of Art - http://www.gsa.ac.uk/

The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery - http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/
Search the Hunterian's collection at - http://collections.gla.ac.uk/

The National Gallery (London) - http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/

The National Galleries of Scotland - http://www.natgalscot.ac.uk/

The National Museums of Scotland - http://www.nms.ac.uk/

The Tate Galleries - http://www.tate.org.uk/

Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum - http://www.vam.ac.uk/

 

France

The Louvre - http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en

Joconde (a catalogue of the French museums collections) - http://www.culture.gouv.fr/documentation/joconde/fr/pres.htm (French language only)
Includes the Louvre and many museums outside of Paris.

 

United States

 
Museums in the USA - http://www.museumca.org/usa/index.html
Maintained by the International Council of Museums.

Museum of Modern Art in NYC (MoMA) - http://www.moma.org/

National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. - http://www.nga.gov/

Smithsonian Institution - http://www.si.edu/
19 museums, 9 research centres and the National Zoo.

Technical Art History

 

British Artists’ Suppliers: 1650-1950 - http://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/directory-of-suppliers.php
A directory of British and foreign firms of artists' suppliers and colourmen operating in Britain and British firms operating overseas. It focuses on manufacturing and wholesale suppliers and on those retailers mentioned by practicing artists or who can readily be identified through advertising in nationally available newspapers and magazines or through the survival of marked products such as canvases. From the National Portrait Gallery.

 

Where is a work of art?

 

Art Inventories Catalogue - http://sirismm.si.edu/siris/aboutari.htm
Two comprehensive databases from the Smithsonian American Art Museum; the Inventory of American Paintings and the Inventory of American Sculpture. They provide information on over 400,000 artworks in public and private collections worldwide. The Inventory of American Paintings includes works by artists active in America by 1914. The Inventory of American Sculpture has no cut-off date and includes works from the colonial era up through contemporary times.

Joconde (a catalogue of the French museums collections) - http://www.culture.gouv.fr/documentation/joconde/fr/pres.htm (French language only)
Includes the Louvre and many museums outside of Paris.

National Inventory of Continental European Paintings - http://www.vads.ac.uk/collections/NIRP/index.php
The first phase of an on-line inventory of all the 22,000 pre-1900 Continental European oil paintings in the UK's public collections. Created by the National Inventory Research Project (NIRP), based at the University of Glasgow. It contains detailed records, and an increasing number of digital images, of nearly 8,000 paintings, principally in smaller regional collections. Searchable by keyword, artist/school name, collection.

National Inventory of War Memorials (United Kingdom) - http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/
Searchable information on 56,000 war memorials in the United Kingdom from many wars. The advanced search option allows searching on craftsman, war, location, denomination, type, inscription words and keyword.

Public Sculpture and Monuments Association National Recording Project - http://www.pmsa.org.uk/
Lists public sculpture and monuments in the UK by geographic area. There is no search function but you can browse by town. Glasgow has 406 works represented. Information includes location, history, creator, current condition. There are some images available for download.