Art Encyclopedias

Specialized encyclopedias are fine places to get a quick start on solving many kinds of problems. Reading a brief summary of a topic, at the beginning of your exploration, can help you make better choices as your research progresses. The specialized encyclopedias below feature articles by recognized authorities and contain well-chosen lists for further reading.

The first one to try is usually:

Oxford Art Online (database ).  Covers all of the visual arts: people, places, major works, styles, periods, techniques, etc.

These also cover all periods and supplement Oxford Art Online:

• Encyclopedia of Sculpture, 3 vols., 2004. (book)
  
• Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts, 2004. (book)
  
• World Encyclopedia of Cartoons, 7 vols., 1999. (book)

• Encyclopedia of Creativity, 2 vols. 1999 (book)  Aspects of creativity such as cognitive and learning stypes, developmental stages, cultural differences, teaching, etc.
  
• Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education, 2004  (book and e-book)   Encyclopedic articles on issues in art education with extensive bibliographies.

• Encyclopedia of American Folk Art, 2004. (a book) Artists, media, genres, ethnicities, etc.
• International Art Galleries: Post-War to Post-Millennium, 2005. (a book)  History of the major commercial galleries of the world's art capitals.
• St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, 5 vols., 2000 (database and book)  Mostly mass media and entertainment but also other aspects of pop culture.
• Styles, Schools, and Movements, 2002. (a book)  A chronological arrangement so use the index to find a specific topic.

• Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography, 2 vols., 2008. (book)
• Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Photography, 3 vols., 2006. (book)
  Both of the above include photographers, critics, formal aspects, hardware, institutions, movements, publications, regions, techniques, and styles.
• Focal Encyclopedia of Photography: Digital Imaging, Theory and Applications History and Science, 2007 (book)  The technologies and practices of photography.
• Oxford Companion to the Photograph, 2005. (database and book)  History, technology, theory, and bios.
  

• Design Encyclopedia, 2004. (book)  Well-rounded treatment of design with a focus on the 20th century.
  
• Design: Intelligence Made Visible, 2007. (book)  Useful as a supplement to the above.
  
• Encyclopedia of Interior Design, 2 vols., 1997. (book)  Styles, rooms, movements, designers, furnishers, trade names, etc. for all periods and most cultures.
  
• Encyclopedia of Furnishing Textiles, Floorcoverings and Home Furnishing Practices, 1200-1950, 2007. (book) Rich in detailed historical information.
• Encyclopedia of Furniture Materials, Trades, and Techniques, 2000. (book)  Rich in detailed historical information.
  
• Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Design Since 1900, 2005. (book)  Shorter entries on modern design.

• Art History: the Key Concepts, 2006. (book)  Define and discuss theories and critical terms and provide suggestions for further reading.
• Critical Terms for Art History, 2003. (book)  Define and discuss theories and critical terms and provide suggestions for further reading.
• Dutch Art: an Encyclopedia, 1997. (book)  Media, artists, periods, genres, major cities, interactions with other countries, historiography, etc..
• Enciclopedia dell'arte antica, classica e orientale, 10 vols., 1958 - 1994. (book)  Covers prehistory to 500 C.E. Articles in several languages.
• Enciclopedia dell'arte medievale , 12 vols., 1991-2002. (book)  Exceptionally well-illustrated coverage of medieval art. All articles in Italian.
• Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760-1850, 2 vols., 2004. (book)  Europe, Britain, and the Americas.
• Reallexikon zur byzantinischen Kunst, 7 vols., 1966 - present. (book)  Art of the Byzantine empire. Articles in several languages.  Only the first volumes (A through N) have been published.

Katherine Staab
Arts & Humanities Library
W320 Pattee Library
Penn State University
Phone: 814-865-6778
Fax: 814-863-7502
kes304@psu.edu

or Your Campus Librarian.