Artstor is one of the most robust image collections that we offer. It contains over two million images contributed by museums, galleries, universities and other institutions worldwide. Many are familiar with this resource but might not be aware of its tools’ full breadth. The SVA Library recently completed a migration of its entire SVA Image Library (formerly MDID) to the Artstor platform. Our “in-house” image collection has been curated by SVA faculty members and the Visual Resources Center (VRC) staff over many decades. And now, users can seamlessly search it alongside the millions of images available in the Artstor database. In addition to such extensive collections, Artstor hosts several other useful tools:

Artstor Curated Groups are image groups assembled by Artstor staff that highlight special-interest content or particular collections or themes. These groups can be used as-is or as a starting point, which can be edited to suit individual needs. Browse the curated groups on this page.

Virtual Reality Panoramas allow for 360-degree viewing around a central point. These are useful for showing works in situ, such as Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin as it appears in the apse in Santa Maria Gloriosa del Frari in Venice. You can find these panoramic views by typing “virtual reality panoramas” in the search bar.

The “Related Media” icon appears as a row of black squares beneath an image. Clicking on this icon will lead the user to additional views of the image. This improvement can help find the best quality image available or important detail views.

The “Others are Interested” icon appears as a multi-colored group of people under an image. Clicking this icon will lead the user to images that others have used in conjunction with the original. For example, clicking on Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres will reveal other post-Impressionist works.

The VRC staff is available for help in navigating the new platform. Check out support.artstor.org for information on creating and sharing image groups, as well as tips for searching the collections.

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