LibGuides: Subject Guides Portal: The Arts

Introduction

Art & Art History | Film & Documentary | Performing Arts

The internet makes instant access possible to view paintings, scrolls, and other visual materials. However, the need for appropriate dictionaries, art catalogues, and previous research & analysis from academic journals are still the foundations of research. Also consider looking in the Visual Resources section in Guides by Format. Most actual pieces of art, or recordings thereof, can be considered primary resources.

Art & Art History -- These guides will often have information on special art collections in the hosting institution's archives. Discover the bibliographic resources essential to researching artists, their work, and interpretations thereof.
Film & Documentary -- Many cinematic productions remain difficult to access because of copyright, and cannot be freely disseminated digitally. Cinema is a relatively young field, and most creative endeavors are not yet in the public domain.
Perfoming Arts -- Find out where to research Noh, Kabuki, and other forms of traditional Japanese theater.
Visual Resources -- This is another NCC guide located here.

The Arts & Art History

Art History : at Columbia University
-- by Matthew McKelway
-- by Miriam Wattles
-- updated by Chelsea Foxwell

Thorough treatment of the different sources of information available for studying art. Many sections have a subsection for English and another for Japanese language resources. For those new to researching art, this guide provides a logical place to start. Somewhat dated, so expect electronic databases and websites to be usurping the print versions suggested.

-- Art dictionaries
-- English language
-- Timelines
Art History : at Duke University
-- by Kristina Troost

With 9 separate webpages covering a vast selection resources, this guide is one of the most comprehensive. The "Websites" section is particularly detailed and well annotated.

-- Art, online resources
Collections of Japanese Art Online and in Print : at Columbia University
-- by Rosina Buckland
-- updated by Henry Smith

Links provided to digital collections of the major art museums in and out of Japan. Also provides information on print catalogues of art collections and selections of masterpieces.

-- Art collections
Fine Arts - at Harvard University
--by Kuniko Yamada McVey

Covers the visual arts in a variety of mediums, from paintings & scrolls to ceramics & photography. The "Reference tools" section has links to several interesting online dictionaries for art, architecture, and garden terminology.

-- Unique

Films & Documentaries

Cinema : at University of Southern California
-- by Tomoko Bialock

Covers various web resources. Includes library collections, film databases, articles, and reviews. Well worth the time to browse all the unusual and interesting links.

-- Unique
Film/Drama : at Iowa State University
-- by Chiaki Sakai

Introduces film and media periodicals through a variety of online sources. Citations are available for the print media to make Ill/DD requests. Also introduces the history of media.

-- Media history
★ Japanese Reference Materials for Japanese Cinema : at Yale University
-- by Aaron Gerow
-- by Haruko Nakamura

In depth guide to research materials on the history of Japanese cinema. Covers nearly all aspects of film. The depth of resources available here is unparalleled.

--Unique
Film : at Harvard University
-- by Kuniko Yamada McVey

List of film databases and some other esoteric resources.
Japanese Theater and Drama : at Iowa University
-- by Chiaki Sakai

Covers major forms of Japanese theater. Includes bibliographic information for videos, works in translation, and helpful search tips. Emphasizes English resources while including Japanese ones.

-- English language
Japanese Films : at University of Michigan
-- Keiko Yokota-Carter

Helpful list of online databases about Japanese film.

Performing Arts

Global Performing Arts Database (GloPAD)
-- by the Global Performing Arts Consortium
-- founded by Karen Brazell

Performances are classified with special data fields unique to theater. See this record as an example of a 'piece.' Additionally there are records for people, productions, and theatrical objects. Cross-referencing makes discovery easy.

-- Unique
Japanese Performance Arts Resource Center (JPARC)
-- by various authors
-- based on GloPAD

JPARC expands on the resources in GloPAD. Different kinds of theatrical performance are clearly segregated in the navigation to offer a comprehensive overview of each art form. Each section uses a multimedia that JPARC expands on with essays and cross references. A browseable/searchable glossary and bibliography further enhance discovery and research.

-- English language
-- Theater, introduction to
Kabuki Research Guide (UW-Madison) : at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
-- by Ayako Yoshimura

Covers the history and art of Kabuki, as well as special topics like gender. Many suggested readings are offered throughout the guide.

-- English language
-- Gender & kabuki
Performing Arts : at Harvard
-- by Kuniko Yamada McVey

Covers major theatrical arts and traditional music. Great place to start and see what's available online.

-- Theater websites
Preliminary Guide to Japanese Theater Reference Materials -- at Columbia University
--by Loren Edelson

Flow-chart for determining what kinds of research materials you need for studying theater. Includes essential resources in print across a variety of format types.

-- Theater FAQ