The Universe of Knowledge
Online resources
for art history and beyond
for art history and beyond
Welcome to the library of useful online resources!
This collection, which will of course continue to grow, is the result of my research. As I worked through the material, trying to make connections, find the right books, primary sources, etc., I kept stumbling across some interesting and very useful resources (and still do, as this process is as endless as the universe).
The links to them are not very neatly organised, but are bookmarked in Google Chrome. I tried to systematise them, but still got confused regularly and spent a lot of time trying to wash the 'gold' out of the accumulated 'sand'. So I came up with the idea of creating a separate document with all the links. There were so many of them that the document was huge. And then I thought it would be a good idea to share it. So that's what I'm doing.
This collection, which will of course continue to grow, is the result of my research. As I worked through the material, trying to make connections, find the right books, primary sources, etc., I kept stumbling across some interesting and very useful resources (and still do, as this process is as endless as the universe).
The links to them are not very neatly organised, but are bookmarked in Google Chrome. I tried to systematise them, but still got confused regularly and spent a lot of time trying to wash the 'gold' out of the accumulated 'sand'. So I came up with the idea of creating a separate document with all the links. There were so many of them that the document was huge. And then I thought it would be a good idea to share it. So that's what I'm doing.
On this page you will find direct links to the online collections of various art museums around the world. They are grouped by country and listed alphabetically.
Here are links to the collections of technical museums. There are very few of them yet. So it's easy to look around.
A collection of links to online collections of museums of the history of science and scientific instruments. Listed in alphabetical order.
Here you will find links to assembled collections – both private projects and national collections of images relating to the cultural heritage of countries in Europe and around the world.
Advanced photographic technology now allows you to view paintings (and not just paintings) as if under a microscope. Here you will find links to sites that allow you to examine the smallest details of paintings by Van Eyck, Bruegel, Bosch, Rembrandt, etc.
Links to collections of digitised books and manuscripts from universities in Europe and the United States. Listed in alphabetical order.
Many libraries in Russia and around the world are digitising their collections. Some have more digital books, some less. Some are more generous, some are less rich. Nevertheless, the fact that these digital collections exist is wonderful. All libraries are grouped by country. In alphabetical order.
Some books can only be read online. Some are even easier to read this way. Some books exist as text on a website, and that's a great resource for finding the right phrase. And some books have been turned into online portals with cross-references, searches, categories and illustrations. You can find links to these resources here.
A repository of knowledge
Here are all sorts of links that don't really fit into the previous categories. These include various databases, special resources of an art historian researcher, online magazines and just online portals that I found curious. After all, there's nothing you can't find on the web!
The art historian's toolbox
It is impossible to know everything, that is a fact. Therefore, projects that allow you to expand your personal universe of knowledge cannot be redundant. I think so. Do you?
Online portals, sites, collections, etc. dedicated to a range of topics, some of which you might not expect.
For the very inquisitive...
For the very inquisitive...
The page uses images: Willem van Haecht II (Antwerp 1593 - 1637 Antwerp). Apelles paints Campaspe. 1625-1635. © Mauritshuis, The Hague (photo: Margareta Svensson); Leonardo da Vinci. Codex Atlanticus. Fol. 1050r. 1498. © Veneranda Bibclioteca Ambrosiana; Palomino de Castro y Velasco, Antonio. Alegoría de las Ciencias y las Artes. Spain. 1700. Inv. 2022717_Ag_ES ©Hispana Biblioteca Nacional; David Teniers d. J. (1610 Antwerpen - 1690 Brüssel). Erzherzog Leopold Wilhelm in seiner Gemäldegalerie. Um 1650. © Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Gemäldegalerie; Günther Blau. Selbstbildnis mit Lupe I. Marburg. 1966. © Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte der Philipps-Universität Marburg; Mikoviny, Sámuel. Der Innenraum einer Bibliothek mit präparierten Skeletten. 1720/1750. © Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE; Office of Morel & Seddon. Design for the east elevation of the Library (the Green Drawing Room), Windsor Castle. C.1826. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024; Thomas Rowlandson. The Doctor's Dream. 1812; W. D. Taylor after Thomas Webster. In the school. Mid 19th century. © Museum Schloss Moritzburg Zeitz, Germany. CC BY-NC-SA; title from Hulsius, Levinus. Ocularis et radicalis demonstratio usus quadrantis. Noribergae: Hulsius Lochnerus, 1596; Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (attributed to). Seated woman reading a book and filling a pipe. 1820-1829. © The Trustees of the British Museum; Joseph Wright of Derby (1734–1797). A Philosopher Giving That Lecture on the Orrery in Which a Lamp Is Put in Place of the Sun. Derby (?). 1764–1766. © Derby Museum and Art Gallery; Frederick Smallfield. Preparing for a Nightmare. From the Christmas Number of 'The Graphic', 9 December 1878, p.14. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
Background in 'Museum collections' and 'Books Digital': Crespi, Giuseppe Maria. Trompe-l'oeil. L'Aventurier François. Second half of the 18th century. © Museo del Prado.
Background in 'Museum collections' and 'Books Digital': Crespi, Giuseppe Maria. Trompe-l'oeil. L'Aventurier François. Second half of the 18th century. © Museo del Prado.
