Art

Collection overview

The Collection focus is on European art and includes:

Aesthetics
Architecture
Graphic Art
History of photography
Paintings
Sculpture

Collection strengths include:

Ceramics
History of book illustration
Illuminated manuscript studies (in the Palaeography collection)

See our latest acquisitions

Collection location

Most books are located on the 6th floor, although those relating to the art of the United States and Latin America are kept separately in their area collections
All items available on open access will display the location ART eg ART 6th floor V8B Con
Large books are shelved in a separate sequence - indicated by the prefix ‘f’ or ‘folio’, before the location code
Most periodicals and some books are held in the closed-access stacks. These will display the location Stack Service. Please request at the Stack Service desk on the 4th floor
Recent issues of periodicals are on display bays in the Periodicals Room – 4th floor. For more information on finding journals, see our journals resources page
Reference works including dictionaries, encyclopedias and guides eg the Dictionary of Art (34 volumes) are shelved with the books in addition to those in the Information Centre
To locate individual titles use the online catalogue

Related collections

Dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference works in the Information Centre, 4th floor
Area collections of Latin American Studies and United States Studies
Book Studies collection – book illustration
Palaeography collection – medieval illuminated manuscripts

Classmarks for Art

Aesthetics (philosophy, psychology and criticism)	V8
Architecture	VA-VD
Calligraphy	VS
Ceramics	VH-VI
Engraving	VP
Graphic and decorative art	VO
History of Art	V3
Mosaics	VN
Painting	VK-VM
Photography	VR
Reproduction processes, prints	VQ
Sculpture and the plastic arts	VE-VG
Textiles	VU

For a more detailed explanation of classmarks see the Library's leaflet 'A guide to the classification scheme'.

Other libraries

For more information about ART collections in other libraries, please see the Guide to Art History libraries in London website: www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/artlibgu.html. Of particular interest are the National Art Library at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Courtauld Institute of Art Library and University College London Library. For elsewhere in the UK, consult the Consortium of University and Research Libraries catalogue: www.copac.ac.uk.