Byzantine Art and Civilization Resources: Encyclopedias

BYZANTINE ART

&

CIVILIZATION

ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF ART AND HISTORY

Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 

This 3-volume encyclopedia covering all fields of Byzantine studies is essential. Its articles on Byzantine history and culture will give you a better understanding of the art by explaining the cultural background to which it belongs. The articles are short, written by experts, and contain brief, but critical, bibliographies.

 

 

Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages 

This 4-volume encyclopedia contains thousands of articles on European history, society, religion, and culture from 500 to1500 CE.  In addition to western Europe, it also covers the Byzantine Empire and neighboring areas of Asia and north Africa, as they influenced and helped shape the civilization of the West.  This authoritative and scholarly work will provide you with the historical background that is necessary to understand Byzantine art.

 

Oxford Art Online

Providing excellent coverage of the visual arts in all parts of the world, this online resource contains several reference works on art. Most important is Grove's Dictionary of Art, the largest and most comprehensive encyclopedia of the visual arts that has ever been published. Don't start any research on art without checking this source.

 

 

Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture

This is a handy one-volume encyclopedia on all aspects of Christian art and architecture of all time periods. Its short articles can help you greatly in understanding the religious traditions and subject matter that were prominent in Byzantine art. 

 

 

Medieval Art: A Topical Dictionary

This reference work is a quick source for identifying and understanding the subjects, stories, symbols, and themes frequently represented in early Christian, western medieval, and Byzantine art.