No large web-based image database is ideal. They all (A, G, Y, M) do a good job but still, none of these databases has it "all" and they often lack the structure that would allow you to get to what you want in a timely manner. In this post, we offer a brief look at a few databases from major art museums. In many cases, these databases direct from the museums provide not only imagery but often tools that allow the searcher to focus their search (often finding materials they might not know exist in the first place) that large web database can't provide. Of course, beware of copyright. (-:
By NO means is this a comprehensive list and we plan more direct links to these types of databases in future posts.
Louvre Museum
Several searchable databases including Atlas: Database of Works on Display in the Louvre; Inventory of the Department of Prints and Drawings; La Fayette: Database of American Art and more.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Browse and search a portion of the permanent collection. From the site, "About 6,500 objects—highlights from each of the Museum's curatorial departments as well as the entire Department of European Paintings and the entire Department of American Paintings and Sculpture—can be accessed online." Advanced Search interface also available.
Museum of Modern Art, NYC
Search their "online collection." Also browse by collection highlights and artist's last name. You can even limit your search to images that you can send as an e-card.
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Search by by artist, title, subject, expanded search, provenance, or accession number for information from a database of the entire collection.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Search over 3000 objects by keyword. If needed, click the "options" link to limit by artist, classification, and origin of work.
Again, this is just the smallest tip of the art museum database iceberg. More art museum collection databases to come.
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