Getting Started
This research guide provides resources, including print books and ebooks, article databases, images, streaming media, and digital resources, on topics related to art history and visual and material culture.
Start by exploring resources in:
- the Quick Links section of this guide
- the tailored resource lists in each section of the menu on the left-hand side of this guide
Then, expand your search by:
- viewing the list of additional art guides in the Related Guides section at the bottom of this page (on specialized topics in art, critical and curatorial studies, and visual literacy)
Key Art Resources
Listed below are a few key resources. See the Databases section of this guide for more Art-related and multidisciplinary databases.
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Oxford Art OnlineOxford Art Online is the access point for Grove Art Online, the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, and the Oxford Companion to Western Art.
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Art Full TextIndexes Art, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning journals. Reproductions of works of art appearing in periodicals are also indexed.
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ARTbibliographies ModernProvides full abstracts of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, PhD dissertations, and exhibition reviews on all forms of modern and contemporary art
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Oxford Bibliographies OnlineCombining the best features of an annotated bibliography with those of a high-level encyclopedia, the OBO helps identify the best available scholarship across a wide variety of subjects.The Library currently subscribes to several OBO modules, including: Art history, Chinese studies, Cinema and media studies, Classics, Literary and critical theory, Medieval studies, and Renaissance and Reformation.
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Artists of the WorldArtists of the World contains authoritative, up-to-date biographical information on more than 1.2 million artists and entries on groups of visual artists from all over the world and from all eras. Entries with detailed articles are supplemented by lists of works, literature, sources, and exhibitions.
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Art Index Retrospective: 1929-1984Provides high-quality indexing of nearly 600 publications - many of which are peer-reviewed - and citations of over 25,000 book reviews. Coverage includes fine, decorative and commercial arts.
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Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA) and Répertoire de la litterature de l'art (RILA)Covers western art from late antiquity (4th century A.D.) to 2007. Coverage of contemporary art includes critical and theoretical publications.
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International Bibliography of Art (IBA)The definitive resource for scholarly literature on Western art, IBA is the successor to the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA).
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JSTOR CollectionIn addition to fully-searchable journal backfiles, also includes current issues for some titles as well as collections of primary-source documents such as their '19th century British pamphlets'.
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Artstor on JSTORArtstor features an unparalleled range of images from some of the world's leading museums, photo archives, scholars, and artists in one easily-navigated repository. All images are accompanied by comprehensive metadata and are rights-cleared for educational use.
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Art and Architecture Archive: Architecture & DesignFull-text archive of journals, magazines and trade publications comprising key research material in the fields of architecture and design, dating from the late-19th to 21st century.
Related Guides
UBC Sites
UBC Library
Select UBC Departments
UBC Art Galleries and Museums
