Research Guides: IDES 651 Pattern Project: Pattern History Resources

Pattern History Research Tip

When searching for historic sources use the pattern name (e.g. paisley) and search more broadly for
culture (Japanese Pattern), period (1950s pattern) or application (e.g. textile design).

Oxford Art Online

Search for "Ornament and Pattern" in Oxford Art Online to find overviews of historical pattern by geographical location:

Ornament and Pattern
- Ancient Near East And Egypt
- Western
- East Asia
- South-East Asia
- Islamic Lands
- Pre-Columbian Americas.

Oxford Art Online
Integrated searchable access to Grove Art Online, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, and more. (Limited to 3 simultaneous users)

JSTOR Image Search

JSTOR Image Search
JSTOR Image Search includes curated collections of digital images and associated data for noncommercial and scholarly, non-profit educational use. Over 1 million images including Decorative Arts, Fashion, Photography and Graphic Design.

Primary History Sources

JSTOR
Searchable backfiles of core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. (Backfiles end typically 3 - 6 years prior to the current date).
HathiTrust Digital Library
Vast repository of digital content. Searchable access to millions of books, journals, and other serials covering all subjects and many languages. Full-text access to public domain and open access items.

British Periodicals
British Periodicals offers searchable facsimile images for nearly 500 journals dating from the 17th to the 20th century. This resource contains Collections I-III covering historical, artistic, and popular periodicals.
Architectural Decoration Books (Internet Archive)
19th and early 20th-century books about architectural ornament styles.

Historical Decorative Art Styles

Timeline of the History of Design (Bloomsbury Design Library)
Browse infomation that influenced design: by Culture & The Arts, Society & Politics ,Technology & Science, Economics & Trade, Ideas & Philosophies.
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History- MET Museum
A chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world, as illustrated especially by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Key periods of American furniture (Christies)
Examples of 17th to 19th-century American furniture styles popular with collectors.