LibGuides: Art & Architecture: Start Here

Best Bets--Encyclopedias

Online encyclopedias provide a good starting point and overview for your research in art and architecture.

Oxford Art Online
Use the primary search box at the top of the page and look for the Grove Art Online essay in the results. Longer essays include an expandable table of contents to the left for easier navigation. Also note the citations at the bottom.

Oxford Dictionary of Architecture (3rd ed.)
Illustrated dictionary covers every period of Western architectural history. The text is complemented by over 250 line drawings, labelled cross-sections, and diagrams.
Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts (Oxford)
Over 3,000 entries covering thousands of years of decorative arts production throughout western and non-western cultures.
Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture
Over 1,600 up-to-date entries on Islamic art and architecture ranging from the Middle East to Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a compendium of user-created information which can often provide a useful overview of a topic. Wikipedia text itself should not be cited, but the entries often include citations and links which lead to reputable resources such as books or articles in our library or .gov, .edu, .org information.

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