Researching an Artistic Genealogy

Researching an Artistic Genealogy

*First find exhibition catalogs, books and journal articles on the artist(s) whom you know have something in common with your work. Then work as a detective searching all of the keywords found in those sources concerning your artist. Some keywords you might search for are: the name of your artist,  the name of your artist's teacher, the name of the art movement that is associated with their work, other artists, art works, philosophies or religions they mention as influencing their work, etc.

How to Find Artists' Exhibition Catalogs and Books

*Finding books on specific artists, art movements, art criticism and philosophies:

Search the UNT Libraries Online Catalog.  

Keyword Name Search example: Viola, Bill.  (last name, first).
Topic Keyword Search: Viola, Bill and Exhibition; Smith, Kiki and Criticism; Postmodernism and Art; Abstraction and Painting, Bleckner, Ross and Biography. 

Books: Dictionaries and Encyclopedias of Artists

*Located in Willis Library, Reference, 1st floor. These are biographical books.  Some may not include images of an artist's work.

Contemporary Artists

N6490 .C6567 2002

Contemporary Masterworks

N6490 .C65675 1991

Contemporary Women Artists

N8354 .C66 1999

Dictionary of Art

 N31 .D5 1996 34 Vols.

Dictionary of Contemporary American Artists

N6512 .C854 1994

Fine Art Index: a Compendium of Contemporary Art and Artists

N6503 .F56 1993

Grove Dictionary of Art

N31 .D5 1996 vols. 1-10

Gumbo YaYa: Anthology of Contemporary African-American Female Artists

N6538 .N5 G85 1995

Latin American and Caribbean Artists of the Modern Era

N6502.4 .S45 2003

North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century

N6503 .N67 1995

Who's Who in American Art

N6536 .W5 2003

World Artists, 1950-1980

N6489 .M37 1984

World Artists, 1980-1990

N6489 .W67 1991

How to Find More Books & Exhibition Catalogs on your Artist

Use the World Catalog to find out which books have been published on your artist that are not owned by the UNT Libraries. The World Catalog contains more than 35 million records describing items owned by libraries around the world.  Books not owned by the UNT Libraries can be requested to be borrowed through Inter-Library Loan.

Finding Journal Articles on Artists

*Search the name of your artist(s) in the databases listed below.  Search them in the order of, last name, first name.  Example: Bacon, Francis If accessing off campus, you will be asked for a username (EUID), and password (EUID password).

Art & Architecture Complete

1984-present

Bibliography of the History of Art

(BHA) 1973-present

ARTBibliographies Modern

1984-present

Grove Art Online 

 

 

Biography and Genealogy Master Index
This database refers you to other reference books about your artist.