Access to iconographical research collections
Library Trends, 37 (2):
154--174 (1988)Abstract
Iconographical Research Collections are tools that support the iconographical approach to the history of art and offer access to secondary subject matter and photographic reproductions of artworks. The four major approaches to art historical scholarship are defined. One of those four approaches-iconography-is targeted because it supports iconographical research collections. A matrix of subject access to visual resources collections displays the many possibilities for providing subject access to these collections. Access to three different iconographical research collections through secondary subject matter is described and their respective positions in the matrix are pinpointed. Access to two different visual resources collections through primary subject matter is described. Subject access to these collections is contrasted with that offered by iconographical research collections. Principle methods of subject access are: classification schemes, subject heading and prose descriptions. Indexing techniques for visual resources collections are: derived search-key, phrase, keyword in context and keyword indexing.