Artist Biographical Sources

Artist's Biographical Sources: Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

All artist's names are in alphabetical order by last name in the books listed below.  All books are located in Reference, 1st floor, Willis Library (unless another location is given).  Also search for the name of your artist in the UNT Online Catalog using a keyword search.  Enter the last name, first name of the artist in the search box. Example: Da Vinci, Leonardo.

Dictionary of Artists (Benezit), N40 .D5213 2006 14 vols.  One of the best sources available. Includes artists from antiquity to the 20th century.  Also includes many artist's signatures. 

Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon: die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (General Artist-Lexicon),

N40 .A63 1992 47 vols.  This source is in German but is the most comprehensive source available.  It covers artists from antiquity to the 20th century. *Note an artist's name may have different spellings in different countries. 

 
Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon: Bio-Bibliographischer Index nach Berufen = (The Artists of the World: bio-bibliographical index by profession), N40 .A625 2002 14 vols. 

This is a great source for fine craftsmen such as goldsmiths, engravers, printmakers, etc., from antiquity to the 20th century. *Note an artist's name may have different spellings in different countries.

Abstract Expressionist Women Painters, Z5949 .U5 P86 1996

A Bibliographical History of African-American Artists, N6538 .N5 M3 2001

 
African American Art and Artists, N6538 .N5 L38 2003

Afro-American Artists: A Bio-Bibliographical Directory, N6538 .N5 C42

 
Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Kunstler von der Antike Bis aus Gegenwart (Thieme-Becker), N40 .T4 1963; N40 .A63 1983

American Women Artists from Early Indian Times to the Present, N6505 .R8 1982

 

Artist Biographies Master Index, N40.A78 1986 (Abstracts & Indexes, Row 2, Willis Library, 1st floor)

 
Australian Artist's Index, N7404 .M33 1986

Biographical Directory of Women Artists in Europe and America Since 1850, N6757 .D86 1989
 

Biographical Directory of Native American Painters N6536 .L47 1995

 
A Biographical History of African-American Artists, A-Z N6538 .N5 M3 2001

Biographies of Inuit Artists N6540 .B56 1992

 

British Artists 1880-1940 N6767 .J63 1990

 

Contemporary Artists N6490 .C6567 2002

 

Contemporary Women Artists N8354 .C66 1999

 

Dictionary of Artists 1760-1893, N5053 .G75 1970

 

Dictionary of Chinese Artists, Collectors and Connoisseurs

N7348 .S48 1988
 

Dictionary of Contemporary American Artists N6512 .C854 1994

Dictionary of Japanese Artists N7358 .R6

 
Dictionary of Women Artists N8354 .D53 1997 2 vols.

Dictionnaire Critique et Documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs, et Graveurs...(Benezit) N40 .B48 1999 French version.

Dutch Art: an Encyclopedia N6941 .D88 1997

 
Encyclopedia of American Folk Art, NK805 .E6 2004

Fine Arts Index: A Compendium of Contemporary Art and Artists N6503 .F56 1993

Folk Artists Biographical Index

NK805 .F63 1987

Grove Dictionary of Art, N31 .D5 1996 34 Vols. This fabulous set is also available as a database--Grove Art Online.

Gumbo YaYa: Anthology of Contemporary African-American Female Artists, N6538 .N5 G85 1995

A History of the African American Artist, N6538 .N5 B38 1993

The Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West, N8214.5 .U6 S25

Index to Artistic Biography and Supplement, N40. H38 2002

 
International Dictionary of Art and Artists, N40. I55 1990

Latin American and Caribbean Artists of the Modern Era, N6502.4 .S45

 
Nigerian Artists: A Who's Who and Bibliography, N7399 .N5 K46 1993

North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century,

N6503 .N67 1995

Museum of American Folk Art Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century American Fold Art and Artists, NK808 .R6 1990

 
Self-Taught, Outsider, and Folk Art: a Guide to American Artists, NK805 .S46 2000

Spanish Artists from the Fourth to the Twentieth Century, N7112 .S636 1993

 

St. James Guide to Native North American Artists, N6536 .S35 1998

Who's Who in American Art, N6536 .W5 2001-02

 
Who was Who in American Art, 1564-1975, N6536 .W56 1999 v. 1-3

World Artists 1950-1980, N6489 .M37 1984

 
World Artists 1980-1990, N6489 .W67 1991

 
Artist Files, Museum of Modern Art. (New York).

MicF 413 (Microforms, Willis Library, Lower Level)

The Expert Versus the Object: Judging Fakes and False Attributions in the visual Arts, N8790 .E86 2004 (3rd Floor, Willis Library)
 

Artist's Biographical Sources: Databases (for Journal Articles)

Search the name of your artist (last name, first name--ex:  Da Vinci, Leonardo), or the name of the art work in quotes (ex: "Mona Lisa").  You will be asked for a username and password if accessing off campus. If you are not enrolled in classes, you may still use the databases within the UNT Libraries. 

 

ARTBibliographies Modern 1984-present

 
Art Abstracts 1984-present

Bibliography of the History of Art

(BHA) 1973-present

Biography and Genealogy Master Index

 

Search this database to find other reference books that have entries on your artist.

Grove Art On-line

WorldCat

The World Catalog will allow you to find books or chapters in books about your artist that were published nationally and some internationally.  Any books not owned by UNT can be ordered by currently enrolled students, faculty and staff from our borrowing program known as Inter-Library Loan.  Search the name of your artist as a keyword, entering the last name, first name in the search box.  Ex.: O'Keeffe, Georgia.

Artist's Biographical Sources: Internet

Artcylclopedia

A web-based encyclopedia that indexes approximately 6,000 artists, many contemporary.

AskArt.com

An index of American artists, includes images and bibliographies.