This LibGuide is intended to help you with the scholarly resources available for researching a topic in Art History. It covers a wide variety of sources of information that can be a good starting point for your research.
The first step in an art history project is to spend time looking at the work you are researching.
Where did you encounter the object or group of art objects?
Do you own it, or is it owned by someone you know?
Did you come across it in a museum or gallery setting?
Or have you seen an image of it—online, in a book, during a lecture?
If you can look at an object in person, or even hold it in your hands, do so often; if you only have access to a reproduction, look carefully at the image whether it's in a print or digital format, reminding yourself that you are looking at a reproduction. Take notes on what you see and observe, and list questions you have about the artwork in front of you. Already, you are doing art history.