You can use SLUth Search Plus (link) to search many of our research databases at once, or go directly into a subject specific database. The default search on the library’s homepage is SLUth. Using this option will allow you to search many databases at once, creating an effective interdisciplinary search. It is important when using this option to refine your results using the various options on the left side of the results page, most importantly the "Subject" one.
To access a subject specific database and create a more focused search, click on the “Databases” tab on the library’s homepage. If you already know the name of the database you want to use, simply use one of the pull-down menus to access it directly. Otherwise, click on “Databases by Subject” and then select “Art.” Once you have accessed a database, you will want to start searching. “Subject” searches are usually the most effective at retrieving relevant article citations but are not always intuitive. Make use of multiple keywords to help reduce the number of citations you retrieve. And try a couple of quick searches of your topic to see what “words” the database is using to classify articles on your topic. Here are some direct links to the most commonly used individual databases for research in art history.
Art Full Text – Link
Database for locating citations to articles in art and art-related disciplines. Offers some online access (full text) from 1997 onward, abstracts for articles dating from 1994, and citations dating back to 1984. This is your default database for researching art and art-related topics.
Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA) – Link
Bibliography of the History of Art provides online access to thousands of citations to research articles, books, book chapters, and dissertations. Very extensive in scope, but limited primarily to European and North and South American art. Offers no full text. Unfortuantely, it is no longer updated.
Index of Christian Art – Link
Contains entries for works of Christian art, including over 60,000 illustrations with detailed identification information.
PAO – Link
Provides citations to articles in over 4000 journals in the humanities and social sciences. Covers journals dating as far back to 1790 and up to 1995. Offers some full text.
Historical Abstracts – Link
Includes abstracts of articles and citations to book reviews and journals in world history except for North American history.
America: History and Life – Link
Covers scholarly literature on the history of the United States and Canada. Offers abstracts and citations to articles, reviews, and dissertations.
