Catalogues Raisonnés
A catalogues raisonné is a comprehensive list of an artist's work. Entries typically include a reproduction, the date, medium, current location, technical description, a list of exhibitions and scholarly writings. Use catalogues raisonnés to compare works over time, trace recurring subjects, styles or deviations in the work of an artist. Keep in mind:
- Not every artist has a catalogue raisonné.
- The art library does not own every catalogue raisonné. We have them for artists taught and researched at Oberlin with a particular focus on artists represented in the Allen Memorial Art Museum collection.
- Catalogues raisonnés go by different names, including critical catalogues, complete works, Gesamtwerk, and œuvre complète. Follow this link for an OBIS search with all of these terms; then select Modify/Limit Search, enter a distinctive part of your artist's name, and then Search. If we have a catalogue raisonné for your artist it should be in the resulting list.
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A. C. I. , Art Catalogue Index by Call Number: Art Library Reference, N 6447 .A25 2009ISBN: 9783905829532A comprehensive list of catalogues raisonnés published up to 2008.. Covers artists born after 1780. In French and English
Arntz-Bulletin; Dokumentation der Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts. Bibliographie, Werk-KatalogeCall Number: Art Library, Reference, Z5935.A755 vol. 1-2A survey and list of all catalogues of the oeuvre (aka catalogues raisonne) of artists of our century through the mid-1960s.
Cahiers d'Art Institute (aka Artifex Press digital catalogue raisonnés) by Publication Date: 2017 -Currently available:
Chuck Close: Paintings
Jim Dine: Sculpture, 1983-present
Tim Hawkinson
Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings
Agnes Martin: Paintings
Agnes Martin: Works on Paper
Lucas Samaras: Boxes
James Siena
- Catalogues Raisonnés
Use to find a "born-digital" catalogue raisonné for specific artists. Most catalogues are available free of charge. - Catalogues Raisonnés database
Use to identify published catalogues raisonnés and those in preparation.
Published by the International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR).
Exhibition catalogs
Exhibition catalogs document temporary museum or gallery exhibitions; their essays are written by experts for an intelligent, although uninformed, audience. Exhibition catalogs are also useful for their bibliographies, illustrations, descriptions, and basic information about particular artworks.
To find any exhibition catalog do a keyword search for the artist with and the truncated word exhibit* .
For example kirchner and exhibit*
To find a specific exhibition catalog do a keyword search for the artist and the name of the museum or gallery.
For example moma and pollock
Book catalogs
- ArteContemporanea - Contemporary Art Books & Catalogues
This Italian bookstore specializing in contemporary art has a database of 9,500 titles including out-of-print titles. Records for exhibition catalogs include a list of "artisti": names of artists included in the show.