Penn State Mark Penn State Mark University Libraries Website
Libraries Home > University Park Libraries > Arts and Humanities Library > Fine Arts

 

An Introduction to Reference Resources for Asian Art & Architecture

for Art History 120, Asian Art & Architecture, Spring, 2008
Henry Pisciotta, Arts and Architecture Librarian

This document is available on the web at: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/artshumanities/art/arth120.htm

This bibliography selects and describes reference materials useful for researching the architecture and art of South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East. This is a list of reference books, databases, and web sites in English. These titles are not ones that you would normally include in the footnotes or bibliography of a research paper. Instead they are "“tools"” to help you choose readings well and to understand them. The list is organized by tool-types. Each section begins with an explanation of the type because an understanding of these formats of reference resources can help when your research takes you to more specific topics or other disciplines. The names of these formats are not used consistently by publishers or librarians, nor are the names important. But understanding the type of tool, and how it can be used, is useful indeed. Some formats are:

FAST STARTS: PEOPLE
  SPECIALIZED ENCYCLOPEDIAS
  SEARCH ENGINES
  SURVEYS
   
LOCATIONS:  METASITES
  LIBRARY CATALOGS
  PERIODICAL INDEXES
   
DATA:  DICTIONARIES
  CHRONOLOGIES

The underlined items below are available via the Internet.

A quick way to get started on a research project is to do two things at once: gather information about where to find things and start learning about them. It doesn't work well to do too much of one without doing some of the other. So “FAST STARTS” in this bibliography means that these types of resources can give you both kinds of information at once: “LOCATIONS” and “DATA.”

A special difficulty in looking for information in English on non-Western cultures is that more than one system is used to change non-Roman characters into the Roman ones we use in English. So you will often find the same term spelled two very different ways (hsiao = xiao, etc.) Try to learn and use both forms when searching terms that are important to your topic.


PEOPLE

People can give you both kinds of information at once:  locations and data.  The faculty, other students, and librarians can be good sources.  I would be happy to help with your research.  See my contact information at the end of this document.    


SPECIALIZED ENCYCLOPEDIAS

Specialized encyclopedias are fine places to get a quick start on solving many kinds of problems. They synthesize a lot of other published information in brief articles written by scholars who attempt to summarize the existing literature on a topic. Reading a brief summary of a topic, at the beginning of your exploration, can help you make better choices as your research progresses. The best encyclopedias refer you to the essential literature on each subject (usually with brief bibliographies at the end of each entry.) The popularity of Wikipedia http://www.wikipedia.org/ is an indication of how helpful encyclopedias can be. If you use Wikipedia , always check the “History” tab to see the number of edits and editors for each article. Articles with more revisions tend to be of higher quality. (For amusing critiques of Wikipedia , search "Colbert Wikipedia" at http://www.comedycentral.com/ )

  1. Grove Art Online.
    Available as a database on LIAS
    A huge compendium of historical information on artists, places, major works, styles, periods, techniques, etc. Covers all of the visual arts. The articles are written by authoritative scholars. Frequently the best place to start. Be sure to try the “Advanced Search” features if you don’t find what you want with the default search screen.

Many other specialized encyclopedias cover specific forms of art or the broader culture of a particular country. Please ask for help is you think one of these would be useful for your topic.


SURVEYS

By “surveys” I mean books that cover abroad period of art, usually in a chronological narrative. Like specialized encyclopedias they provide authoritative information and suggestions for further reading. They can be great places to get ideas for paper topics. Here are a few examples:

  1. Asher, Frederick, et al. Art of India: Prehistory to the Present. 2003.
    N7301.A765 2003

  2. Ettinghausen, Richard, et al . Islamic Art and Architecture, 650-1250. 2 nd ed., 2001.
    N6260.E79 2001

  3. Fahr-Becker, Gabriele. Art of East Asia. 2 nd ed., 1999.
    N7336.A77 1999 Q

  4. Girard-Geslan, Maud, et al . Art of Southeast Asia. 1999.
    N7311.A7613 1998 Q

  5. Kampen-O'Riley, Michael. Art Beyond the Wes. 2006.
    N5300.K292 2006

  6. Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. 2 nd ed., 2005.
    N7350.M26 2005

  7. Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. 3 rd ed., 2008.
    N5300.S923 2008 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, 2ND FLOOR - READY REFERENCE)

  8. Sullivan, Michael. Arts of China. 4 th ed., 1999.
    DS721 .E32613 1986

SEARCH ENGINES

Web search engines can also provide fast starts on a research problem. In fact, in a few short years World Wide Web search engines have become the most popular tools by far for finding information because they are convenient, can be used without much skill, and frequently produce useful results. Remember these important points about search engines:

Search engines cannot see the contents of most databases. They are only designed to find html and similar "pages." They usually can't retrieve the contents of databases such as library catalogs or Art Abstracts or any of the nearly 400 databases that the University Libraries subscribes to. (There are a small number of exceptions to this rule. See for example Google Scholar , below.)

Most web resources are self-published and vary widely in quality, so you have more work to do in evaluating them than you would with other publications. Trade and academic publishers put effort into assuring the quality of their books and magazines in order to assure that they are profitable. Only a very small percentage of web sites attempt those standards. When you use web sites you are taking on extra responsibility for judging quality. You might want to consult a checklist for evaluating web sites .

The web can be a difficult place to find a professional discourse community. That means the people who create knowledge in a specific discipline. Your teachers usually expect you to experience this discourse, which is primarily presented in academic books and journal articles.

Using search engines well requires skills that are very similar to the ones needed for searching databases. Because search engines scan millions of items, they almost always return some results even if very simple search statements are entered. But search engines usually have powerful features that are not invoked unless you specify them. Use the most unique terms that relate to your topic and learn how to search phrases – usually surrounded by quotes (for example: "United States".) Learning to read and shorten URLs (web addresses) is an important skill. Another is choosing the right search engine for the right job. One easy way to learn these tricks quickly is to use the guide posted by a non-profit group called Infopeople. Their Search Tools Chart ( http://www.infopeople.org/search/chart.html ) selects a small number of good search engines and web guides, explains what they are searching, and describes the search features of each. A more inclusive guide to search engines, and what jobs they are suited for, is Noodle Tools' Choose the Best… ( http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information /5locate/adviceengine.html ) Try opening the Search Tools Chart or Noodle Tools in one window and experiment with different search engines and techniques in another.) Never settle for just one search. Experimentation is very important in web searching. For example, type any 3 unrelated search terms (frog metal wheat?) as a search statement in Google ( http://www.google.com/ ) then change the order of the three terms a few times and see how the results of the search change. Or try Googlewhacking! (It's a sport. Look it up.) Trial-and-error learning is especially important with search engines since search engine companies tend to be so secretive about their workings and features change overnight. Google is not the best choice for every task. Some new search engines have specialties which can make them much more effective than Google for a particular need. Here are some examples related to academic research:

  1. Clusty.
    Available on the web as: http://clusty.com/.
    This search engine clusters the results into groups based on their similarity. So the hundreds of results from a term like "architecture" are grouped into categories such as: architects, schools, networking, software, etc. Searches can be focused on images, blogs, and other forms.
  2. Google Book Search.
    Available on the web as: http://books.google.com/.
    This is a very important project. Google has been working with large research libraries to digitize books in their collections. Google has also been working with a number of publishers regarding the texts of their books. A large number of books has already been posted with Google-style searching of their complete texts. Usually you can read a passage from the book that contains your keywords. Often you can read all of the passages in the book that contain the words. Even though only a fraction of the planned books are completed, search results can be very impressive for some topics.
  3. Google Scholar.
    Available on the web as: http://scholar.google.com/.
    Also important. Uses the technology of the Google search engine but tries to concentrate on reliable sources that meet scholarly expectations for quality. It does this by: 1) By focusing Google on the official postings of research organizations and university departments. 2) By taking advantage of a new protocol for making the contents of some databases visible to Google. The databases selected for inclusion include a few of the databases of electronic journals that we subscribe to at Penn State. By connecting to these resources, Google Scholar can find an article in one of Penn State's electronic journals. However, it only can see a handful of the more than 400 database the library has. Also, we have discovered that Google Scholar, still a "“beta test,"” is very incomplete. For example, sometimes it finds one article in an electronic journal, but not another – even though both should be available. It is very useful, but don't trust it.

METASITES

Sometimes “metasites,” which collect links to other sites, can be more effective than a search engine. Good examples for Asian art are:

  1. Whitcombe, Christopher L.C.E. Art History Resources on the Web. 1995 - (as viewed 1/9/08)
    Available on the web at: http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html
    Selections made by an accomplished art historian. Fairly extensive and well selected. Updated frequently. Most links are to image sets but also to online exhibitions, texts, and other sources.
  2. Association for Asian Studies. Links and Resources. 1996 - (as viewed 9/9/07)
    Available on the web at: http://www.aasianst.org/links.htm
    Links to texts & images covering many aspects of history, religion, culture, etc. for all Asian countries.

LIBRARY CATALOGS

Of course the catalogs of libraries contain records describing the books they own, but note that most library catalogs only have a single record for each magazine title; they do not include records for each of the articles in a magazine. (For that, see "PERIODICAL INDEXES" below.) In addition to books and magazines, library catalogs may contain descriptions of video, audio, software, and even selected web sites. With online catalogs, as with any other electronic resource, you may need to try several methods of searching in order to get good results. One important technique is to use synonyms, related terms, and word truncation to narrow or broaden your search. Another is to notice the standard subject headings that were assigned to a book that you like, then to search with those headings.

  1. "“The Cat"” .
    Available as a database on the Libraries' web pages.

    The Penn State Libraries' catalog contains nearly all of the holdings of the University Park Libraries as well as those of the many other campuses of Penn State. If you are searching for a specific author or title, the "Begins With (Browse)" button is generally easier to use than "“Keyword."” To find a books or journal on the shelves, you will need the call number, the name of the library, and floor or other shelving area. If the book you want is charged out, or owned at another campus, click on the "“I Want It” button. The book will be retrieved and held for you at a library service desk.


PERIODICAL INDEXES

Periodical indexes are designed to direct readers to articles and reviews in magazines and journals. Each of the ones listed in this section can be used to find articles on a particular topic or by a particular author. Once you select articles that you want to read, you can use the blue “Get It”” button to see if there is an electronic version of the article or to see if a paper copy is held in our library. If in paper, you will need the call number, volume number, and page numbers so that you can find it on the shelves.

  1. Art Abstracts and Art Index Retrospective
    Available as two databases on the Libraries' web pages.

    This is the most commonly used periodical index for the visual arts (including some architecture, design, etc.). Most of the journals indexed are published in English, but a selection of other major European languages are included. In addition to articles and reviews, individual works on art unaccompanied by text (often gallery ads) are indexed. The indexing goes back to items published in 1929. This index has been divided into two separate databases: Art Abstracts , which covers roughly 1984 to present, and Art Index Retrospective , covering 1929 to 1984. These two databases may be combined and searched simultaneously. After entering either one, you will see the name of the database in a box at the right side of the screen. Click on “Change.” Choose both databases from the list and click on “Start Searching.”

  2. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals.
    Available as a database on the Libraries web pages.

    Use this index if your topic includes architecture or urban design, or related topics such as architectural decoration or archaeology or furniture. Indexing began in 1934, but certain important journals were indexed back to their beginnings in the 1860s or earlier.

  3. Bibliography of Asian Studies.
    Available as a database on the Libraries web pages.

    This can be especially useful if your topic leads you to other aspects of Chinese culture, such as history, religion, literature, etc. Extensive indexing from 1971 - 1991 and more selective indexing for 1992 on.

  4. ProQuest Direct.
    Available as a database on the Libraries web pages.

    This large, general database is convenient for its inclusion of many full-text electronic journals and newspapers. It indexes articles in more than 5000 general interest magazines, journals, and newspapers. Some useful art history is included. (Because of the requirements of your assignment, limit the results of your searches by clicking the "Scholarly Journals" tab.) The beginning date for the indexing varies widely, but usually only includes the past decade or so.


DICTIONARIES

Getting the meaning of a specialized term often requires a specialized dictionary. There are many which may be useful for Chinese art and history. Here are a few examples:

  1. Baird, Merrily. Symbols of Japan: Thematic Motifs in Art and Design. 2001.
    N7350.B233 2001 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  2. Chaturachinda, Gwyneth. Dictionary of South and Southeast Asian Art. 2000.
    N7300.C475 2000 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  3. Eberhard, Wolfram. Dictionary of Chinese Symbols. London : Routledge, 1986.
    DS721 .E32613 1986 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  4. Fang, Jing Pei. Symbols and Rebuses in Chinese Art. Berkeley : Ten Speed Press, 2004.
    N7340 .F36 2004 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  5. Guo, Qinghua. Visual Dictionary of Chinese Architecture. Mulgrave: Images, 2002.
    NA31.G86 2002 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  6. Hansford, S. Howard. A Glossary of Chinese Art and Archaeology. 2d ed., rev. London : China Society, 1972.
    N7340.H3 1961 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)
    Glossary in Chinese characters and in Romanization, with definitions in English.

  7. Lane, Richard. Images from the Floating World: the Japanese Print: Including an Illustrated Dictionary of Ukiyo-e . New York: Putnum, 1978.
    NE1310.L35 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  8. McArthur, Meher. Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs and Symbols. New York : Thames and Hudson , 2002.
    N8193.M39 2002 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION) Arranged in thematic chapters (deities, objects, and sites). Introduces the broader context for each item.

  9. Munsterberg, Hugo. Dictionary of Chinese and Japanese Art. New York : Facts on File, 1999.
    N7340.M78 1981 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  10. Perkins, Dorothy. Encyclopedia of China. New York : Continuum, 2004.
    GR705.W47 2004 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  11. Williams, Charles. Outlines of Chinese symbolism and Art Motives. Tokyo : C.E. Tuttle, 1974.
    GR335.W53 1974 (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

CHRONOLOGIES

These are lists of events in chronological order – – an easy way to note what else was happening at a particular time – in politics, literature, science, etc.

  1. Mellersh, H. E. L. Chronology of World History. 4 vols. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1999.
    D11.M39 1999  (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  2. Paxton, John and Sheila Fairfield. Calendar of Creative Man. New York: Facts on File, 1980.
    NX447.5.P38  (ARTS & HUMANITIES, PATTEE, STACKS 2 - REFERENCE COLLECTION)

  3. Art Libraries Society of North America. Timelines of Art History: Print Sources and Web Sites. 1997. (As viewed 8/13/06)
    Available on the web at: http://www.arlisna.org/resources/onlinepubs/timelines.html

For reference resources for other aspects of Asian studies, and especially if you can read Chinese, see the research guide posted at: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/artshumanities/asianstudies/index.htm



Please contact Henry Pisciotta
Arts and Architecture Librarian
Pennsylvania State University Libraries
320 West Pattee
865-6778
henryp@psu.edu
henrylibrarian (AIM screen name)

Send comments to Henry Pisciotta, Arts Librarian, at hap10@psu.edu
last updated: 1/30/08
©2005 The Pennsylvania State University
Privacy and Legal Statements
U.Ed. LIB 05-101