Skip to Main Content

Art Research

Art Search Tutorial

Search Tips

Using boolean operators, wildcards, phrase searching, and controlled vocabulary can help you search for resources in online databases. Narrow your search query using boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT. Examples:

  • Picasso NOT Pissarro
  • Digital Art NOT Video Art
  • Lady Gaga AND Jeff Koons

Use wildcards with an asterisk* when encountering commonly misspelled names like Ann* Albers. 

Phrase searching uses "parenthesis" or (brackets). Example: "Man Ray"

Use controlled vocabulary, such as subject headings, to narrow your search for specific art research topics. For example, researching the photographer JR would benefit from controlled vocabulary; JR, 1983- is the authority heading for the photographer and graffiti artist who has a commonly used name. Examples of other art-related subject headings are as follows:

  • KAWS, 1974-
  • Art, Modern -- 19th century
  • African American art -- 20th century -- Exhibitions
  • Feminism and art -- United States

When searching Google, use search operators such as site: intext: filetype: —example: site:https://www.metmuseum.org/ intext:Picasso filetype:pdf.

Reach out to the Art Librarian if you need additional research support. 

 

Visual Arts Call Numbers

  • N 1-9211 Visual arts
  • N 1-58 General
  • N 61-72 Theory. Philosophy. Aesthetics of the visual arts
  • N 81-390 Study and teaching. Research
  • N 400-3990 Art museums, galleries, etc.
  • N 4390-5098 Exhibitions
  • N 5198-5299 Private collections and collectors
  • N 5300-7418 History
  • N 7420-7525.8 General works
  • N 7560-8266 Special subjects of art
  • N 8350-8356 Art as a profession. Artists
  • N 8510-8553 Art studios, materials, etc.
  • N 8554-8585 Examination and conservation of works of art
  • N 8600-8675 Economics of art
  • N 8700-9165 Art and the state. Public art
  • NA 1-9428 Architecture
  • NA 1-60 General
  • NA 100-130 Architecture and the state
  • NA 190-1555.5 History
  • NA 1995 Architecture as a profession
  • NA 2000-2320 Study and teaching. Research
  • NA 2335-2360 Competitions
  • NA 2400-2460 Museums. Exhibitions
  • NA 2500-2599 General works
  • NA 2599.5-2599.9 Architectural criticism
  • NA 2695-2793 Architectural drawing and design
  • NA 2835-4050 Details and decoration
  • NA 4100-8480 Special classes of buildings
    • NA 4100-4145 Classed by material
    • NA 4150-4160 Classed by form
    • NA 4170-8480 Classed by use
      • NA 4170-(7020) Public buildings
        • NA 4590-5621 Religious architecture
      • NA 7100-7884 Domestic architecture. Houses. Dwellings
      • NA 7910-8125 Clubhouses, guild houses, etc.
      • NA 8200-8260 Farm architecture
      • NA 8300-8480 Outbuildings, gates, fences, etc.
  • NA 9000-9428 Aesthetics of cities. City planning and beautifying
  • NB 1-1952 Sculpture
  • NB 1-50 General
  • NB 60-1115 History (Including collective biography)
  • NB 1120-1133 Study and teaching
  • NB 1134-1134.4 Competitions
  • NB 1135-1150 General works
  • NB 1160-1195 Designs and technique
  • NB 1199-1200 Restoration of sculptures
  • NB 1203-1270 Special materials
  • NB 1272-1291 Mobiles, color, sculpture gardens, etc.
  • NB 1293-1895 Special forms
    • NB 1293-1310 Portrait sculpture
    • NB 1312-1313 Equestrian statues
    • NB 1330-1685 Sculptural monuments
    • NB 1750-1793 Religious monuments and shrines
    • NB 1800-1880 Sepulchral monuments
  • NB 1910-1952 Special subjects
  • NC 1-1940 Drawing. Design. Illustration
  • NC 1-45 General Including collective biography
  • NC 50-266 History of Drawing
  • NC 390-670 Study and teaching
  • NC 673-677 Competitions
  • NC 703-725 General works
  • NC 730-758 Technique
  • NC 760-825 Special subjects
  • NC 845-915 Graphic art materials
  • NC 930 Conservation and restoration of drawings
  • NC 950-996 Illustration
  • NC 997-1003 Commercial art. Advertising art
  • NC 1280-1284 Printed ephemera. Imagerie populaire
  • NC 1300-1766 Pictorial humor, caricature, etc.
  • NC 1800-1850 Posters
  • NC 1860-1896 Greeting cards, postcards, invitations, book jackets, etc.
  • NC 1920-1940 Copying, enlarging, and reduction of drawings
  • ND 25-3416 Painting
  • ND 25-(48) General
  • ND 49-813 History
  • ND 1115-1120 Study and teaching
  • ND 1130-1156 General works
  • ND 1288-1460 Special subjects
    • ND 1290-1293 Human figure
    • ND 1300-1337 Portraits
    • ND 1340-1367 Landscape painting
    • ND 1370-1375 Marine painting
    • ND 1380-1383 Animals. Birds
    • ND 1385-1388 Sports. Hunting, fishing, etc.
    • ND 1390-1393 Still life
    • ND 1400-1403 Flowers. Fruit. Trees
    • ND 1410-1460 Other subjects
  • ND 1470-1625 Technique and materials
  • ND 1630-1662 Examination and conservation of paintings
  • ND 1700-2495 Watercolor painting
  • ND 2550-2733 Mural painting
  • ND 2889-3416 Illuminating of manuscripts and books
  • NE 1-3002 Print media
  • NE 1-978 Printmaking and engraving
    • NE 1-90 General
    • NE 218-(330) Engraved portraits. Self-portraits
    • NE 380 Conservation and restoration of prints
    • NE 390-395 Collected works
    • NE 400-773 History of printmaking
    • NE 830-898 General works
    • NE 951-962 Special subjects
    • NE 965-965.3 Tradesmen's cards
    • NE 970-973 Study and teaching
    • NE 975-975.4 Competitions
    • NE 977-978 Equipment
  • NE 1000-1352 Wood engraving
    • NE 1000-1027 General
    • NE 1030-1196.3 History
    • NE 1220-1233 General works
    • NE 1310-1326.5 Japanese prints
    • NE 1330-1336 Linoleum block prints
    • NE 1340 Fish prints
    • NE 1344-1345 Potato prints
    • NE 1350-1352 Other materials used in relief printing
  • NE 1400-1879 Metal engraving
    • NE 1400-1422 General
    • NE 1620-1630 General works
    • NE 1634-1749 History
    • NE 1750-1775 Copper engraving
    • NE 1850-1879 Color prints
  • NE1940-2232.5 Etching and aquatint
    • NE 1940-1975 General
    • NE 1980-2055.5 History
    • NE 2120-2140 General works
    • NE 2141-2149 Special subjects
    • NE 2220-2225 Drypoint
  • NE 2236-2240.6 Serigraphy
  • NE 2242-2246 Monotype (Printmaking)
  • NE 2250-2570 Lithography
  • NE 2685-2685.8 Lumiprints
  • NE 2690 Engraving on glass
  • NE 2800-2880 Printing of engravings
  • NE 3000-3002 Copying art. Copying machine art
  • NK 1-(9990) Decorative arts
  • NK 1-570 General
  • NK 600-806 History
  • NK 1135-1149.5 Arts and Crafts movement
  • NK 1160-1590 Decoration, Ornament, Design
    • NK 1160-1174 General
    • NK 1175-(1498) History
    • NK 1505-1535 General works
    • NK 1548-1590 Special subjects for design
  • NK 1648-1678 Religious art
  • NK 1700-2195 Interior and House Decoration
    • NK 1700-2138 General. History, etc. Including special rooms
    • NK 2140-2180 Decorative painting
    • NK 2190-2192 Church decoration
  • NK 2200-2750 Furniture
  • NK 2775-2898 Rugs and carpets
  • NK 2975-3049 Tapestries
  • NK 3175-3296.3 Upholstery. Drapery
  • NK 3375-3496.3 Wallpapers
  • NK 3600-(9990) Other arts and art industries
    • NK 3700-4695 Ceramics
    • NK 4700-4890 Costume
    • NK 5100-5440 Glass
    • NK 5500-6060 Glyptic arts
    • NK 6400-8459 Metalwork
    • NK 8800-9505.5 Textiles
    • NK 9600-9955 Woodwork
  • NX 1-820 Arts in general
  • NX 1-260 General
  • NX 280-410 Study and teaching. Research
  • NX 411-415 Competitions
  • NX 420-430 Exhibitions
  • NX 440-632 History of the arts
  • NX 650-694 Special subjects, characters, persons, religious arts, etc.
  • NX 700-750 Patronage of the arts
  • NX 760-770 Administration of the arts
  • NX 775-777 Voluntarism in the arts
  • NX 798-820 Arts centers and facilities
  • TR 1-1050 Photography
  • TR 250-265 Cameras
  • TR 287-500 Photographic processing. Darkroom technique
  • TR 504-508 Transparencies. Diapositives
  • TR 510-545 Color photography
  • TR 550-581 Studio and Laboratory
  • TR 590-620 Lighting
  • TR 624-835 Applied photography
    • Including artistic, commercial, medical photography, photocopying processes
  • TR 845-899 Cinematography. Motion pictures
  • TR 925-1050 Photomechanical processes

Art Research Online Resources