Renaissance and Baroque Resources
Information on Renaissance and Baroque Art can be found in many places in the library, such as art books or history texts that discuss art and artists.
To find resources on these topics,
- Use a General Search of our collection for books, articles, videos, and more.
- Or try a specialized journal database to find scholarly articles.
Here are some examples of basic search terms you can use to start out:
- renaissance art
- baroque art
- Jan van Eyke
- Altarpieces
- Counter Reformation in Art
Find more information in the reference works and website links on this page.
Online Reference Sources
The Oxford Dictionary of the RenaissanceCall Number: View EbookISBN: 9780198601753Publication Date: 2003A handy online reference source. Particularly good for biographies of artists. Use it for background information and to place an artist or work into the wider historical context.
Websites
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art HistoryFrom the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this is a useful tool for investigating a particular period or fitting a style into its broader historical context. Interactive world maps and timelines. You'll find examples of works of art by time period, region, and theme ― plus thematic essays, such as “Art & Love in the Italian Renaissance.”
- The Art of Renaissance Science: Galileo and PerspectiveAn old-school site with tons of images and information on the impact of Renaissance art on science, with particular attention to the astronomer/physicist Galileo Galilei. Includes discussions of anatomy, mathematics, and perspective.
- Art History Resources on the WebPut together by a professor at Sweet Briar College starting in 1995, this page of links and information on art from all areas of the globe goes deep, from prehistoric times to the twentieth century. Check out the Renaissance Art in Italy, Renaissance Art Outside Italy and Baroque Art pages.
Print Reference Sources
Art Index by Call Number: Reference NX 1 A77 1929-1998These print volumes index articles in international art journals and magazines from 1929 to 1998. Ask a librarian to show you how the index works. You can find a more up-to-date online version in the Art Full Text database.
Arts and Humanities Through the Eras by Call Number: Reference NX440 A787 2005 v.1-5Publication Date: 2004An excellent resource that helps you connect your art topic with the wider context of history. You'll find chronological overviews, discussions of specific topics, biographies of notable people, primary sources, and more.Look to chapter 9 of each volume for the Visual Arts.
Encyclopedia of the Renaissance by Call Number: Reference CB361 .E52 1999 v.1-6Nearly 1200 entries, including an extensive essay on "Art" with multiple subsections. Selective bibliographies of secondary sources to help you find more information, plus primary sources.
The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture by Call Number: Reference N6260 .G75 2009Deals with all aspects of Islamic art and architecture ranging from the Middle East to Africa to Central, South, and East Asia and includes entries on artists, rulers, writers, ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, painting, calligraphy, textiles, and more.
Renaissance and Reformation by Call Number: Reference CB359 .R455 2007 v. 1-6There are not many entries here, but they are extensive with many full-color images. Look for the entry on "Painting & Sculpture" in volume 4, and individual entries on significant artists of the period.
