Recorded Library Session: Finding Background Information for Art Projects
This video demonstrates how to use the various resources listed on this guide to find background information on art movements, artists, and their works for art projects you may be working on. Click "Watch in Panopto" for the best video quality.
Librarian
Shari Salisbury
Contact:
JPL 4.04.14.12
UTSA Libraries
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
UTSA Libraries
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
210.458.4763
Finding Background Information About Artists and Art Movements / Styles / Periods
Background information can provide:
- A definition of specific terminology
- An overview of a topic (the important who's, what's, when's, etc.)
- An introduction to key issues
- Biographical information
- A list or link to additional authoritative resources
Background information can be found in print or online encyclopedias, textbooks, biographical dictionaries or directories, and basic introductory texts.
Key Resources
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Oxford Art OnlineComprehensive art reference resource and excellent starting place for biographies of artists, as well as discussions of art movements, theory, and criticism. Provides definitions, bibliographies, and encyclopedic entries concerning almost any art-related topic. Provides access to the encyclopedic Grove Art Online, the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, and more.
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Heilbrunn Timeline of Art HistoryFrom the Metropolitan Museum of Art - Authoritative source for timelines, thematic essays, world maps, images, and subject/artist index.
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Art Movements - Google Arts & CultureGoogle Arts & Culture contains high quality images from museums. Brief articles describe each art movement. Most, but not all, articles come from a reliable source: Grove Art from Oxford University Press. Pay attention and evaluate other sources.
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The Art Story: Modern Art InsightThe Art Story focuses on information on the artists, art styles and movements, and ideas and concepts of modern art, from the late 19th to the late 20th century. A good source for contemporary artists. Additional content about other periods in art history can be found using the search box.
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Smarthistory"Smarthistory is the leading open educational resource for art history. We make high-quality introductory art history content freely available to anyone, anywhere. Smarthistory is a platform for the discipline where art historians contribute in their areas of expertise and learners come from across the globe. We offer nearly 500 videos and these are being translated into dozens of languages."
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... Isms: Understanding Modern Art by Call Number: N6490.4 .P45 2013 -
Styles, Schools and Movements: The Essential Encyclopaedic Guide to Modern Art by Call Number: N6490.4 .D45 2010Click link for availability -
Art in the Modern Era: A Guide to Styles, Schools & Movements 1860 – Present by Call Number: N6490 .D415 2002
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ArtstorA large, and growing digital image library - includes more than two million high-quality images for teaching and research. The various collections include images of artworks (paintings, sculpture, etc.), photography (both "artistic" and documentary) as well as the built environment (architectural structures and monuments).
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AskArt.comAskArt covers primarily American artists, including many regional artists, providing biography, images, citations, auction data, museums owning their work and galleries representing the artist's work. More than 200,000 artists are included.
Find Books on Your Topic
Sample Searches for Library Quick Search
The name of a movement. If the name is two or more words, put it in quotes:
cubism
"digital art"
The name of an artist in quotes:
"lee krasner"
The name of a work of art. It is better to look under the name of the artist, unless the work is extremely well known like:
"mona lisa"
Search by the name of a reputable book series and/or publisher. Here are some we recommend:
"world of art" "thames and hudson"
"movements in modern art" cambridge
"movements in modern art" tate
"oxford history of art"
"themes and movements" phaidon
Art Survey Books
Click links for availability and location.
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Art History by Call Number: N5300 .S923 -
Gardner's Art Through the Ages by Call Number: N5300 .G25 -
History of Art by Call Number: N5300 .J3 2004 -
History of Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography by Call Number: N6490 .A713 2013
Contemporary Artists
To find authoritative and credible information about contemporary artists, visit:
- The artist's personal website
- The website for the galleries that represent them
- The museum websites that own some of their work.
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100 Contemporary Artists by Call Number: N6497 .A14 2009Brief biographical entries with examples of artwork.
2 volumes -
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Art 21: Art in the Twenty-First Century by Call Number: N6512 .A6685 2001
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Art21An authoritative website for information about contemporary art and artists.