Finding Images Online and In Print 

Finding Visual Material (Other than Art) in Periodicals

Newspapers, magazines and journals can be good sources for images, and most periodical indexes note the presence of illustrations, graphs, photographs, etc. Keep in mind, before you embark upon a search, that the quality of reproduction varies considerably among formats. The quality of an image in a newspaper (print copy) article will not be as good as an image in a recent book or magazine, for example. Also, note that back issues of many publications--particularly newspapers and magazine--are stored on microfilm or microfiche and hence all color, and a significant degree of clarity and detail, will be lost in your copy.

Most of the indexes to fine arts journals indicate the presence of a reproduction, and identify the work by title. One database, Art Full Text is unique because, in addition to reproductions that appear alongside articles, it includes indexing to advertisements in journals and magazines. Many fine arts journals include reproductions for current or forthcoming shows, and these greatly extend our stock of art imagery. This can be a particularly good source for works by lesser known artists, artists whose careers are/were short-lived, etc. Art Full Text and the database that precedes it, Art Index Retrospective, are available on Bobst Library's Database page. You can link to them here or find them in the alphabetical list at: http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html

To search for reproductions in Art Full Text and Art Index Retrospective, click the button marked "Advanced Search." Here, you can search for reproductions in any number of ways- author, title, subject, etc. To find works of art by a particular artist, search the individual's name as AUTHOR. The search must also be limited by RECORD TYPE; from the choices displayed here, click on REPRODUCTION.

Art Full Text, and its forerunner, Art Index Retrospective, are also effective tools for locating reproductions on a particular subject: a search conducted in April 2007 for the keyword "Madonna" yielded 3,184 reproductions--all appear to be the Mother of Christ (not the rock star!).

Other Sources for Reproduction in Periodicals and Books

From off-campus, access these databases via the alphabetical list on the Bobst Library website:
http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html

• Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA), available on the Bobst Library "Databases" page, provides indexing of books, journal, festschriften, etc. While it does not index reproductions in depth, it is a good source for locating books and articles on particular works of art. Individual records do identify the presence of reproductions.
   

• The Index of Christian Art (ICA) is a searchable database of works based upon Christian themes. It contains some reproductions online, but at this point it is most valuable as a resource for locating reproductions in books and journals. It also provides a wealth of bibliography on individual works of art.

• For works of art by American Artists, use the Smithsonian's Artist Inventories. The Inventories contains over 335,000 records describing American paintings and sculptures. The Inventory of American Paintings Executed before 1914 is a national census of paintings and sculptures. The Inventory of American Sculpture is a national census of works created by artists born or artive in the United States up through the 20th century.

  This source provides a wealth of information about individual works of art. Often, a record will provide details about conditions, price paid, ownership, or provenance (both individuals and institutions), etc. References to published productions are frequently included, and these might lead the researcher to magazines, books, exhibition or auction catalogs featuring the work.