UMGC Library: Art and Art History: Resources

Recommended Databases

Academic Search Ultimate Best Bet
Arts, humanities, science, social sciences, business, and technology journals, ebooks, and other resources from 1887 - present.
Humanities Source Ultimate Best Bet
Subjects include archaeology, the arts, communications, gender studies, history, journalism, literature, philosophy, and religion.
JSTOR Best Bet
Articles and books from many subject areas (anthropology, art, business, education, history, literature, science, etc.) from the 1900s - present.
Bibliography of the History of Art
Fine arts, architecture, and folk and popular art of Europe and the Americas, from the Getty Museum.
Dissertations and Theses Global (ProQuest)
Full text for most dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for graduate works prior to 1997.
Google Scholar (through UMGC Library)
Academic resources, including summaries of articles and books in a variety of areas.
Tips for Searching Google Scholar via UMGC.
Historical Abstracts
World history (excluding North America) from 1450 to the present, in journals published from 1955 - present. Note: Defaults to linked full text; to see additional abstracts remove filter in left column of search results.
MasterFILE Premier
Full-text articles, reference book entries, primary source documents, and more, in a variety of subject areas, from 1975 - present.
OmniFile Full Text Mega
Multi-disciplinary resource that covers several core subjects, including art, education, ethnic studies, history, humanities, law, social sciences, technology, and women's studies.
Oxford Reference
Subject, language, and quotations dictionaries, as well as in-depth subject encyclopedias and other reference books.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms
Provides succinct and accessible explanations of over 1,800 terms used in the wide variety of visual media that makes up the art world
Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art
Contains around 2,000 clear and concise entries on all aspects of modern and contemporary art
Grove Encyclopedia of American Art
All aspects of American art and architecture from Native American art to Colonial art to contemporary American art
Grove Encyclopedia of Materials & Techniques in Art
Offers up-to-date information on all aspects of this fundamental area of the visual arts
Grove Encyclopedia of Northern Renaissance Art
Provides unparalleled scope and depth in a field that has inspired and informed Western art for centuries
Oxford Companion to Western Art
Provides in-depth coverage of Westrern Art with entries on artists and their works, styles and movements, art forms and art terms, combined with more modern methodologies, focused on patronage, taste, theory, and criticism, and the scientific examination of materials and techniques
Oxford Dictionary of American Art and Artists
An insightful and informative view of America’s artistic heritage
Oxford Dictionary of Art
A careful balance of fact and critical appraisal, ranging across painting, sculpture, and the graphic arts from classical times to the present
Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists
Contains over 2,500 clear and concise entries on styles and movements, materials and techniques, and museums and galleries

Using Ebooks

When writing a research paper, ebooks can be a great scholarly resource, providing background information, as well as in-depth information on a topic. You can find ebooks in the UMGC library collection, or on the free web. Ebooks are included in OneSearch, which is available below and also from the Library home page. You can search by selecting Ebooks Only from the dropdown menu.

The UMGC Library subscribes to other great ebook databases that cannot be found in this search. To search these collections you should go directly to the source.

You can also find great ebook collections on the free web. Remember, when using material from the free web, it is important to evaluate what you find.

Ebook Search (select Ebooks Only from drop-down)

Using Websites

When used appropriately, websites can add great value to your research reference list. Websites can provide valuable evidence to support a research topic, and can also provide background information, company or association information, and basic facts about a topic. When using websites, always evaluate what you find, to avoid bias and verify information.

Recommended Websites

Art at UMGC
Artcyclopedia
Online encyclopedia searchable by artist, work, and movement
Art History Resources on the Web
Site maintained by Professor Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe from Sweet Briar College, VA since October 24th 1995. Extensive links to art history websites covering all genres.
Art Museum Worldwide
Google Art Project
"Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces." Works best in Firefox or Chrome
MetPublications
MetPublications is a portal to The Met's comprehensive publishing program with over 1,500 titles, including books, online publications, and Bulletins and Journals from the last five decades.
Perseus Art & Archaeology
Classical art objects, sites, and buildings with descriptions and images
Smarthistory
Smarthistory is the official provider of art history for khanacademy.org. Smarthistory supports AP art history and A-level curriculum with 3,000 essays and videos
Timeline of Art History
“A chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world, as illustrated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection”
The Getty Research Institute
The institute is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts".
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“Its Research Library and Special Collections of rare materials and digital resources serve an international community of scholars and the interested public”.
Stage Two Creative Strategies
"These videos contain examples of tendencies and patterns in way ideas are developed in art practice".
Digital Library: Art and Design
Smithsonian Libraries' digital collections of images, books, exhibits, and research tools.
Dictionary of Art Historians
A biographical dictionary of historians of western art written and maintained by scholars for the benefit of the public.