Fine Arts, Design, Art History: Suggested Reference Print Books

Reference books are excellent places to begin your research. They contain articles by experts in their fields and include bibliographies for further research. Moreover, many of these books contain high-quality images that could be helpful in your presentations.  Images may be scanned using the KIC scanner on the ground floor of the Library. Of course, all images must be cited.  See the page on Citing Images.

General Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

• Dictionary of Art.  ed. Jane Turner.
     Ref. N31. D5 1996  34 vols
• Encyclopedia of World Art.
     Ref. N31.E533  16 vols.
• Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History. (13th Ed.), ed. F.S. Kleiner,
   Ref. N5300 .G25 2011 vol. 1-2
• Janson's History of Art: the Western Tradition. P.J.E. Davies, et al.
    Ref. N5300 .J29 2009
•  The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art Terms.  L. Edwards.
     Ref. N33.L75 1984

Specialized Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

•  Encyclopedia of American Folk Art.   ed. Sir Lawrence Gowing.
     Ref. N31 .F33 2005  vol. 1-5
• Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. ed. V. Steele.
      Ref. GT507 .E52 2005 vol. 1-3
•  Encyclopedia of  Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of Art.  ed. H.E. Robert.
     Ref. N7560 .E 52 1998  vol. 1-2.
•  Encyclopedia of Sculpture.  ed. A. Bostrom.
        Ref. NB198 .E53 2004 vol. 1-3
•  Encyclopedia of 20th Century Architecture.  ed. R. S. Sennott.
       Ref. NA680 .E495 2004.
• Encyclopedia of 20th-century Photography. ed. L. Warren.
    Ref. TR642 .E5 2006 vol. 1-3
•  The Grove Encyclopedia of Classical Art and Architecture.  ed. Gordon Campbell.
       Ref. N5610 .G76 2007  vol. 1-2
•  The Illustrated Dictionary of Photography.  B. Lynch-Johnt.
•     Ref. TR9 .L95 2008
•  The Potter’s Dictionary of Materials and Techniques.  F. and J. Hamer.
       Ref. TT919.5 .H35 2004

   Biography

• The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters.  P.D. Lester.
    Ref. N6536 .L47 1995
• Contemporary Artists.  ed. J. Cerrito.
    Ref. N6490 .C6567 1996
• Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs. Et graveurs: de tous les temps et de tous les pays. E. Benezit.
   Ref. N40 B.47 1976 vol. 1-10
• Dictionary of Women Artists. ed. D. Gaze
    Ref. N8354 .D53 1997
• International Dictionary of Art and Artists. ed. J. Vinson.
   Ref. N31 .I56 1990
• Modern Arts Criticism. 
   Ref. N6490 .M575 vol.1-4
• The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Art.  ed. H. Osborne.
    Ref. N6490 .O94
• St. James Guide to Black Artists.  ed. T. Riggs.
   Ref. N40 .S78 1997

Directories and Guides                                         

• American Art Directory
    Ref. N50 .A54
   Latest edition
• Internationales Kunst-Adressbuch. International directory of arts.
    Ref. N50 .I6
   Latest edition
• Museum Archives: an Introduction. ed. E. Wythe.
    Ref. AM158 .M88 2004
• Museums of the World
    Ref. AM1 .M76 2008
• National Directory of Arts Internships
   Ref. NX396.6 .N38 2005
• The Official Museum Directory.
   Ref. AM11 .M8
   Latest edition