Researching an object from the Italian Renaissance
Often a good place to begin your research on a specific object is the website of the museum that owns it. Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist is owned by the Chicago Institute of Art. Its collections database contains a bibliography of published references to this artwork (see below). A bibliography like this can give you an important place to start gathering information about your artwork.
You should contextualize your artwork in your research. Find other artworks you want to discuss in relation to it. This could mean works by the same artist, of the same subject, in the same medium, or made at the same time or place. How you choose to contextualize your artwork will establish the direction of your research.
In order to do this, pay attention to which artworks are traditionally discussed in relation to yours and think of ways to broaden this discussion. I like to search JSTOR Images for themes to discover new works.
Search the five essential databases listed on this page for your artist and/or artwork, paying attention to variations in spelling or phrasing that could impact your search results. Don't forget that the best resources for art historical research are almost always books. Leave yourself enough time to use OhioLINK and request books from other libraries that may take several days or a week to arrive.
Image: Correggio. 1510-1520. Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist. Place: The Art Institute of Chicago, Clyde M. Carr Fund. https://library.artstor.org/asset/AWSS35953_35953_41726359.
- Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist at the Chicago Institute of ArtCollection record of the virgin and Child with Young Saint John the Baptist at the Chicago Institute of Art
Your Art Librarian
Essential Art Databases
- Art Full Text & Art Index Retrospective1929-present. Includes articles from international art journals, magazines, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. Some full text.
- JSTOR1603-three years ago. A wonderful source for full-text scholarly articles in history and art history. Includes 19th century art journals and museum publications. Full text.
- Oxford Art OnlineOnline encyclopedia great for finding information about individual artists and movements. Includes the important and comprehensive Grove Dictionary of Art. Full text. Access limited to 3 users at a time.
- WorldCat (OCLC FirstSearch)Use WorldCat to find and request books in libraries all over the United States, Europe and Asia. Perfect for finding exhibition catalogs that may only be owned by a few libraries.