The BU Libraries Search
You can use the BU Libraries Search to find books in the library's collection.
To see only books (rather than articles or other materials), click on the "Books" button under the search bar.
For more detailed information on using the BU Libraries Search, take a look at our tutorials.
Searching the Catalog for Renaissance Art Topics
Once you have a more refined and focused topic, it will likely be more productive to search using keywords specific to that topic, but while you are still exploring the field it can be helpful to know how to search using subject headings. Subject headings function like tags, bringing up any items in our collections that are "tagged" as being "about" that topic.
To search by subject heading, begin in the library's advanced search. Where it says "Any field," click to select "Subject" from the drop down menu.
There are many subject headings, but some that may be relevant to Renaissance and early modern art and architecture include:
- Renaissance
- Art, Renaissance
- Art, Early Renaissance
- Art, High Renaissance
- Art, Late Renaissance
- Christian art and symbolism — Renaissance, 1450-1600
Geographic Location:
- Art, Renaissance — Italy
- Art, Renaissance — Italy — Florence
- Art, Renaissance — Netherlands
- Florence (Italy) — History — 1421-1737
Type of Work:
- Architecture, Renaissance
- Altarpieces, Renaissance
- Painting, Renaissance
- Mural painting and decoration, Renaissance
- Sculpture, Renaissance
Specific Artists or Historical Figures:
- Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519
- Medici, House of — Art patronage
- Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1475-1564
- Vasari, Giorgio, 1511-1574
Finding Books We Don't Have
If we don't have a book you're looking for, you can request a copy through Interlibrary Loan or look for a free version online. You can search for books outside of our collection by selecting "WorldCat" in the dropdown menu in the BU Libraries search bar. You can also explore some of these resources:
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WorldCat Discovery This link opens in a new window
Provides access to resources owned by the Boston University Libraries or available to BU affiliates, to resources available from affiliated libraries, and to resources owned by all other WorldCat libraries. WorldCat is a worldwide union catalog created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 member institutions. With millions of online records built from the bibliographic and ownership information of contributing libraries, it is the largest and most comprehensive database of its kind.
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HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
HathiTrust is a collection of millions of volumes of searchable books, journals, and government documents, including many public domain materials available as full-text online. To take advantage of BU's membership in HathiTrust which allows full volume download of public domain items, go directly to the HathiTrust website. Click the Login button. Select Boston University from the drop-down list. Then enter your BU username and password in the next screen.
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MetPublications This link opens in a new windowMetPublications includes all known publications from the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1869-1974, along with a selection of later titles. The MetPublications Project adds publications from 1964 to the present. Exhibition catalogs from 1870 to the present are included.
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Getty Publications Virtual Library This link opens in a new window
Contains works from the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Research Institute covering art, photography, archaeology, architecture, conservation, and the humanities. Publications include illustrated works on artists and art history, exhibition catalogues, works on cultural history, conservation of materials and archaeological sites, scholarly monographs, and critical editions of translated works.
