Henry Buhl Library: Art Starting Points: Background Reading

Online Art Resources

Encyclopedia of Aesthetics A comprehensive survey of major concepts, thinkers, and debates about the meaning, uses, and value of all the arts—from painting and sculpture to literature, music, theater, dance, television, film, and popular culture.
Oxford Reference Online Database -- Art & Architecture Search dictionaries and encyclopedias related to art and artists, including photography and architecture.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and the Arts Covers the cultural history of biblical texts, themes, characters, images, and the Bible itself in the literary, visual, and musical arts.
SmARThistory.org A multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement for the traditional art history textbook.
Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization "A comprehensive reference work on the history and impact of Christianity. This four-volume work spans issues ranging from theology, politics and law, through to literature, art and architecture."

World Eras Series
The titles in this series provide introductions to topics including geography, the arts, communication, transportation, exploration, society, economics, politics, law, the military, leisure, daily life, family, religion, philosophy, science, and technology. Each volume includes chronologies, topical articles, and biographies. Bibliographies of both primary and secondary sources are included.