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University Library

Art

A research guide for Art students

Art Image Databases

The subscription library databases below provide authentic, high-quality images of art. 

Archival Collections Online

Cal State LA Special Collections & Archives

Special Collections & Archives houses photographs, paper-based artworks, posters, documents archives from artists and artist collectives, Mesoamerican ceramics, and more. Below are highlights of the collections.

Museum Collections Online

Museums worldwide are digitizing their collections and making them available to you online.

Search Google for artists, genres, or places, plus words like Museum, Gallery, Collection Catalog, Archives, Digital Collections, etc. to find images.

Select Books

Find Books

Books are an excellent source of high-quality images of art. Use the following tips to find books in the library with images of art.

  • Search for an artist or genre
  • Narrow to books
  • Oversize (large) books are a great source of images

OneSearch filters set to Available in the Library, Books, and Location Oversize

Free Stock Images

While the databases and museum websites above are best for images of works of art, these image websites can be used to find reference images and free images for collage and digital art.

John F. Kennedy Memorial Library
California State University, Los Angeles
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8300
323-343-3988