100,000 Digitized Art History Books Are Now Freely Available Online to Any Art Lover

Online Art History Books Getty Research Portal

“Paul Klee, 1879-1940 : a retrospective exhibition.” The Guggenheim Museum

In celebration of its 4th anniversary, the Getty Research Portal has been redesigned to make it easier for art history buffs to explore, share, and download the 100,000 freely available digitized art history texts it hosts—which you can search for directly, or filter by creator, subject, language, source, or date range. Over the past year, the Los Angeles-based research institute has been rapidly scanning thousands of books and journals documenting various artistic fields—including art, architecture, and culture—to provide a greater public service over the Internet than a single library ever could.

Thanks to the freely downloadable materials, “scholars and researchers can now be in possession of copies of rare books and other titles without having to travel to far-flung locales,” announced the the project’s content specialist, Annie Rana. The portal’s catalog includes contributions from hundreds of institutions, including some of the world’s most renowned art libraries, such as the Art Institute of Chicago’s Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, the Guggenheim Museum Library in New York, and the Warburg Institute Library in London. But that’s not all—the Getty Research Institute aspires to expand their online library even further to include art sources from India, Iran, and Japan.

Among the many rare books available is a French version of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem The Raven, beautifully illustrated by Édouard Manet; a collection of hand-block printed antique linen patterns; and a Japanese woodblock print album titled Mountain Teahouse, from The Mist of Sandara by Kyōka Sandara-kasumi.

The new design is live now, so check it out and see what treasures you can discover.

The Getty Research Portal has been redesigned to make it easier for art history buffs to explore the 100,000 freely available digitized art history books it hosts.

Online Art History Books Getty Research Portal

“Mountain Teahouse, from The Mist of Sandara.” By Kyōka Sandara-kasumi.

Online Art History Books Getty Research Portal

“A Collection of distinctive hand-block printed linens & cretonnes.” By J.H. Thorp & Co.

The portal’s catalog includes contributions from hundreds of institutions, including some of the world’s most renowned art libraries.

Online Art History Books Getty Research Portal

Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven,” illustrated by Édouard Manet.

Online Art History Books Getty Research Portal

Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 poem “The Raven,” illustrated by Édouard Manet.

Getty Research Portal: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]

All images via the Getty Research Portal.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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