Guide to Using Grove Art Online
August 2007Created by Rachel Crane, Music/Fine Arts Librarian
Wichita State University
978-5078 [email protected]
Grove Art Online is the electronic version of the Dictionary of Art, a 34 volume encyclopedia of art located in the reference section of the Library (1st floor) under the call number N31.D5 and The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Grove Art Online contains articles on all aspects of the visual arts, world-wide, both fine and decorative arts, including articles on artists, forms, styles, movements, and places. Volume 34, is an index, providing access to more detailed information within larger articles. This resource is a good place to start looking for basic background information, dates, terms and to confirm spelling. The bibliographies found at the end of each article may be particularly helpful in providing leads to further information.
Access Grove Art Online through the library webpage by clicking on the link to
“Electronic Datatases”:
Select the “Grove Art Online.” Note that the Grove Art Online may be accessed off campus, by using your MyWSU ID and password, as indicated by the green triangle. Click on the “Off-Campus Access” link toward the top of the screen for further information.
From the initial screen you may search for article headings (not for names or terms within the articles, this is for HEADINGS ONLY). In this case we are searching for an article on the artist “Chagall”:
The results…Click on the links in green to enter the article. Link number 1 leads to an entry in the Grove Dictionary of Art. The second link leads to an entry in the Oxford Companion to Western Art.
The beginning of the article, with links on the left for “Writings”…(Note: You may print or email the page by way of the links in the upper right portion of the screen.)
To check an abbreviation in the bibliography enter the item in question in the “Find Abbrevs” box and press the “Enter” key. The results will be listed on the left:
Click on the letter of choice to move to another part of the alphabet: (You may also wish to browse “Abbreviations,” “Contributors,” or the “Index.”)
To search for terms, names or concepts within articles, choose the “Advanced Search” or “Full text” links:
Because this is a “concept” search, the list will provide records not only with “ballooning” exactly, but also with variations of the word, such as “balloon,” “balloons,” and etc..
A “Pattern” search looks for terms with similar spelling…(Useful if you are unsure of the exact accepted spelling.)
For listings of people by a given date or place of birth or death, by nationality or by occupation. Note: when searching for places, states are abbreviated. A search for “Kansas” would result in a listing of those born in “Kansas City” but not necessarily Kansas. Note that search tips are found on the bottom of all screens.
The resulting entry for Gordon Parks:(Note the indication that this article has been updated twice in 2006.)
You may also search for images on the web (“Search image links”), or through image collections such as the Bridgeman Art Library (“Art image collections”).
A search for “Napoleon” results in 1824 records: (Note: you do not need to login to the Bridgeman Art Library to
explore the collection.)
The new “Explore” features allow you to search by form/genre, geography, people, styles, cultures and eras. Use these options to investigate additional realationships and to confirm terminology.
For example, to explore articles relating to Australasia and the Pacific Islands, click on the “+” box next to Geography., Then select the appropriate link:
If you have any questions or need further information, please
contact me by email at:[email protected] or by phone at 978-5078
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