*Art History: General Research Guide

Primary resources are materials that are first-hand evidence of historical events. These resources can be in the form of: postcards, letters, diaries, manuscripts, maps, oral histories. Art works are considered primary sources, as they are documents or evidence of a particular time and place. Materials published during the time at which they are written, i.e., a novel, can also be viewed as a primary source. 

Examples of primary sources for art history:

• Newspaper or magazine articles written by someone who attended an opening or talk by the artist
• Books or articles written by friends or associates during the artist's lifetime
• Books, diaries/journals, letters written by the artist 
• Artwork itself, as well as sketches done by the artist

Adapted from Pepperdine University and Yale

When searching the catalog for primary documents, preform a SUBJECT search. Subject search terms for primary documents included:

Correspondence  -- ex. Nuns and Ireland and Correspondence

Sources -- ex. "Civil Rights" and Sources

Interviews -- ex. Authors, Spanish and interviews

Description  -- ex. Quebec and Description

Archives --  ex. Picasso and Archives

Personal narratives  --  ex."Iraq War" and Personal and Narratives

Maps  --  ex. Japan and Civilization and Maps

Speeches -- ex. Lincoln and Speeches