Finding Images

NYU 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 the library catalog, by subject heading or keyword.

Examples of subject headings and keyword search terms include:

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

Other Commonly-used subject headings and keywords to find illustrations in books include:

• pictorial works
• editorial cartoons
• caricatures and cartoons
• exhibitions
• photography
• maps

An artist's catalog raisonné is a definitive listing of artworks by that artist. Many catalogs raisonné  include provenance information, dimensions, a description of the artwork, and an image (either in black and white or color). 

Not every artist has a catalog raisonné. They are usually published after an artist has deceased and most commonly for "major" and popular artists. 

To search for catalogs raisonné in the library catalog, search for the artist's name and catalog raisonne. i.e.  "Jacob Lawrence catalog raisonne"

A monograph is a book about a single subject, in this case an artist. 

An exhibition catalog often lists all the artworks that were included in an exhibition. 

If a book has images, it will have at least one of the following terms in the Format field:

• ill. (for "illustrated")
• maps, pl. (plates)
• col. (color)
• plans
• ports (portraits)

It will look something like this:

• x, 414 p. illus., diagrs., 23 col. plates. tables. 26 cm.
• 71 p. illus., 9 pl., 2 col. maps. 25 cm.

For example, in the following library catalog record for a monograph on the work of Faith Ringgold, we know that most of the images inside the book are in color and some are portraits (hopefully, your sought-after painting will be among them!):

Title: Faith Ringgold

Publication Date: 2022

Format: 255 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), portraits ; 27 cm

Link to Catalog Record: https://search.library.nyu.edu/permalink/01NYU_INST/1d6v258/alma990087068740107876

And if that doesn't work, try to identify the period, school, or style of the artwork. 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 be covered in general exhibition catalogs and books on this period/style of American painting.

Important Note: the catalog record for a book about an artist's work will NOT list every single artwork that is inside the book. The only way to truly find out if the artwork you seek is inside the book is to physically check. 

There are many reference books in Bobst Library that index images of artwork. If you are looking for images of artwork by a well-known artist, these books will likely be of use to you. They offer title and artist indexes and indicate the book in which the image can be found. Due to the popularity of online image searching in recent years, most of these books were published before the year 2000 but can still be useful for those who wish to search tactilely.