Encyclopedias/Guides for Art-related Research : Home

This searchable encyclopedia contains the full text of the original 34-volume Dictionary of Art (1996), with ongoing revisions and updates. Articles cover all aspects of the visual arts (painting, sculpture, graphics, contemporary art forms such as performance and installation, architecture, decorative arts, and photography) from prehistory to the present. History of film-making is excluded. This resource provides access to some online images and links to other external websites containing images. (Updates vary)
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

Brill´s New Pauly is the English-language version of a major authoritative encyclopedia, originally published in German, on practically all aspects of the ancient Greek and Roman world. The bulk of its coverage is devoted to Greco-Roman antiquity, encompassing a span of more than two thousand years from the second millennium BCE to early medieval Europe. Special attention is given to interactions between Greco-Roman culture on the one hand, and, on the other, Semitic, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavic cultures. In addition to various forms of polytheism the treatment of ancient religion includes aspects of ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The coverage of the classical tradition deals with with the long and influential aftermath of antiquity and the process of continuous reinterpretations and revaluations of the ancient heritage, including the history of classical scholarship. Many entries are accompanied by maps and illustrations.
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

The school edition provides access to articles from the Encyclopædia Britannica and more. High-school level articles are directed to an adult audience.
This resource licensed by BadgerLink/Department of Public Instruction for use by all Wisconsin residents.

The Encyclopaedia of Islam includes more than 15,000 articles on the current state of the Islamic world, from religion and history to politics and culture. Articles cover distinguished Muslims, tribes and dynasties, crafts, sciences, political and religious institutions, the geography, ethnography, flora and fauna of various countries, and the history, topography and monuments of the major towns and cities. Its geographical and historical scope encompasses the old Arabo-Islamic empire, the Islamic countries of Iran, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Indonesia, the Ottoman Empire, and all modern Islamic states. (Second and Third Editions are available, First Edition is not.) Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

This encyclopedia on mythology, folklore, and legends contains entries for legendary animals, gods and goddesses from many religions, imaginative places, supernatural creatures, and more. The mythology section is divided to six geographical regions: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania. Each region has many clearly defined subdivisions. The Folklore section contains general folklore, Arthurian legends, and folktales from many lands. (Updated irregularly)
Available to everyone.

This searchable encyclopedia features more than 600 articles by globally recognized art historians, philosophers, and theorists. It is 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. Of special interest are in-depth surveys of Western aesthetics and broad coverage of non-Western traditions and theories of art.
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

This encyclopedia covers decorative arts in both western and non-western cultures. Included are entries on artists, craftsmen, designers, workshops, and decorative art forms. Also included are entries on the qualities and historical uses of materials, concise definitions on art forms and styles, and in-depth articles discussing the history of armor, jewelry, furniture, textiles, and ceramics. (Not updated)
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

Taken together, these two encyclopedias are an important source of information for medieval studies. Lexikon des Mittelalters Online (LexMA) is a major German-language encyclopedia. The International Encyclopaedia for the Middle Ages-Online (IEMA), is an English-language supplement to LexMA),with additional articles which fill in the gaps in coverage. The majority of articles are only in German. NOTE: Click "enter databases," then select the Lexikon. (Updates vary)
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

This survey of the history of Western thought and culture is presented through 700 alphabetically arranged entries. Each entry explores the origin, cultural interpretations, and historical themes of such subjects as beauty, love, feminism, diversity, social capital, deconstruction, post-colonialism, among many others. For students and general readers. (Update varies)
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is intended to serve as an authoritative reference work suitable for use by professionals and students in the field of philosophy, as well as by all others interested in authoritative discussions on philosophical topics. Entries are signed and dated, and submitted through a peer review process.

Both the 15th and 16th editions of the Chicago Manual of Style are available full text online.
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This guide presents alphabetically arranged entries on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods. (Updated annually)
Available to anyone on-campus. Available off campus for UW Madison students, faculty and staff only.