Finding Images Online and In Print 

Artist or Author?

We do not tend to think of artists as authors. But remember that if a book's content is highly pictorial the artist's name will appear as an author (she did, after all, compose the contents of the work). Many, but not all books about an artist, will also include the artist's name as a subject. So, if you really want to find all of the books with significant numbers of images by Marc Rothko, search for Rothko as an Author and as a Subject, or simply do a Keyword search.

Finding Reproductions of Art Works on a Particular Theme or Motif

Bobst uses the library of Congress (LC) cataloging scheme. LC cataloging rules allow for the designation "in art" for just about anything imaginable. To find books comprised largely of text and images about a particular theme, person, or phenomenon in art, conduct a phrase search in Bobcat, by subject heading. Examples of search terms include:

hedgehogs in art
death in art
Mary Magdalene, Saint, in art

If you are in search of color images, that information is supplied in the BobCat field marked DESCRIPTION; in the following BobCat record for a monograph on the work of Mark Rothko, we know that at least some works are illustrated in color (and hopefully, your sought-after painting will be among them!):

And if that doesn't work...

If you cannot find a sufficient number of books on your artist, go one step further and try to identify works of the period, school, or style. If your artist is not very well-known, this is often the best way to expand your search. A lesser-known artist of the Hudson River School, for example, might very likely be covered in exhibition catalogs and monographs on this period/style of American painting.

Many, many books include works of art by numerous artists. Sadly, the vast majority of these titles are not indexed anywhere! But, some are. If you are searching for a major artist's work, chances are one of the following indexes might be of use. They all offer title and artist indexes, and identify the monograph that contains an image of the desired work of art. Most are located in the reference room, 1st. floor:

• Garrigan, Kristine Ottesen. Victorian Art Reproductions in Modern Sources: a Bibliography. New York: Garland Pub., 1991.
  Bobst Z5961.G7G37 1991
  Bibliography of art reproductions by Victorian artists appearing in books on art and literature, and exhibition catalogs. Organized by artist, with selected title and subject indexes.
• Havilice, Patricia Pate. World Painting Index. Metuchen, NJ.: Scarecrow Press, 1970. Vols. 1-3. Supplement, 1982.
  Bobst Ref 1 ND45.H38
  Indexes illustrations in over 1160 books and catalogs published between 1940-1975; listings by artist's name and title of work.
• Korwin, Yala H. Index to Two Dimensional Art Works. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1981. Vols. 1-2.
  Bobst Ref 1 N7525.K67
  Index of over 35,000 entries for art reproductions appearing in over 250 books published between 1960 and 1977; vol. 1 contains Artist Index, v. 2, Title-Subject Index.
• Monro, Isabel Stevenson, and Kate M. Monro. Index to Reproductions of European Paintings. New York: The H.W. Wilson Co., 1956.
  Bobst Ref 1 ND45.M6
  Guide to pictures of paintings by European artists in over 300 books, by artist name, title of work, and some subject entries.
• Index to Reproductions of American Paintings. New York: The H.W. Wilson Co., 1948. First Supplement, 1964.
  Bobst Ref 1 ND205.M57
  Guide to pictures of paintings by American artists in over 800 books and exhibition catalogs.
• Parry, Pamela Jeffcott. Contemporary Art and Artists: An Index to Reproductions. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1978.
  Bobst Ref1 N6490.P3234
  Reference tool for locating illustrations of works of art in more than 60 major books and exhibition catalogs dating from approx. 1940 to the 1970's in all media except architecture; international in scope. With an artist index and subject/title index.
• Parry, Pamela Jeffcott. Print Index: A Guide to Reproductions. Wesport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983.
  Bobst Ref 1 NE90.P17 1983.
  Index to thousands of print contained in 100 books and exhibition catalogs dating from the early 18th century to the mid-1970's.
• Rochelle, Mercedes. Historical Art Index, A.D. 400-1650: People, Places, and Events Depicted. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1989.
  Bobst Ref 1 N8210.R6 1989
  Index to illustrations of historical events, places, and people reproduced in books "readily avaliable in one's local library."
• Mythological and Classical World Art Index: A locator of Paintings, Sculptures, Frescoes, Manuscript Illuminations...Executed 1200 B.C. to 1900 A.D... Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1991.
  Bobst Ref 1 N7760.R63 1991
  List artworks under subject for researchers of Greek and Roman mythology and the classical world; reproductions found in readily available books given when possible; with artist index.
• Smith, Lyn Wall, and Nancy Distin Wall Moure. Index to Reproductions of American Paintings: appearing in more than 400 books, mostly published since 1960. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1977.
  Bobst Ref 1 ND205.S575
  Supplements the work of Monro; also includes scholarly material, not indexed elsewhere, on American art created before 1913; organized by artist name and by subject.
• Smithsonian Institution. Art Inventories Database.
  Contains over 300,000 records for American paintings and sculpture; including citations to published illustrations in many cases.
• Thomason, Elizabeth W. Index to Art Reproduction in Books. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1974.
  Bobst Ref 1 N7525.H48 1974
  Index to reproductions of art in a selected group of books published between 1956 and 1971, with artist name and title index. Includes sculpture, photography, and architecture.