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The University of Massachusetts Amherst

Art

Welcome!

Welcome to the Art research guide!

You can use this guide as a starting point in your research for art. The tabs on the left have more information about the following topics:

If you need any help with your research, please contact your librarian Jennifer!

Getting Started

Sometimes browsing in the books at the library can be serendipitous and you can find the exact thing you need!

Call number ranges for art:

  • AM --- Museums, Collectors, and Collecting
  • LC --- Special Aspects of Education
  • N --- Fine Arts
  • NB --- Sculpture
  • NC --- Drawing, Design, and Illustration
  • ND --- Painting
  • NE --- Print Media
  • NK --- Decorative Arts
  • NX --- Arts in General
  • TR --- Photography
  • TT --- Handicrafts, Arts, and Crafts

Subject headings are really helpful when searching in our catalog or databases. If you find a really helpful book, article or other item, make sure to take a look at the subject headings and use them in combinations or just click on them to see more.

Some, but not all, of the subject headings that might be helpful for art:

  • General
  • Art
  • Art and society
  • Art appreciation
  • Museums
  • Periods in Art (once you find the period, it will be broken down even further)
    • Example: Expressionism
      • Expressionism
      • Expressionism (Art)
      • Expressionism (Architecture)
      • Expressionism (Art) -- Catalogs
      • Expressionism (Art) -- Germany -- 20th century -- Exhibitions
      • Expressionism in motion pictures
  • Individual Artists/Groups of Artists
    • Examples:
    • Sugimoto, Hiroshi, 1948-
    • Neshat, Shirin, 1957-
    • Neshat, Shirin, 1957- -- Criticism and interpretation
    • Neshat, Shirin, 1957- -- Exhibitions