Objects are themselves primary documents, but art historians also consult literature and many other sources to understand artworks. Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later. Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in original format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in published format.
Some of the sources below are books in the Adams Library book catalog. If you click on the title you will see which library owns the book and if it is available. You may request books held by other libraries. They will be shipped to the Adams Library for you.
Art in Theory 1815-1900 by 