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Images for Designers and Art Researchers

NYPL Picture Collection


Update: 3/7/22

The Picture Collection is delivering materials by appointment to Room 300 (art & architecture) until we reopen. Students  may email picturecollection@nypl.org, with the day they would like to come in, and subject headings of interest. 

IMAGES IN library BOOKS

Architecture
NA at the University Center. 
Search for the architect's name in BobCat. 
Search by building type: "Greek Temples," "Museums," "New York Apartments" or "Restaurants and Bars."

Animals
TR 729 at the University Center and QL at the List Center.
Search BobCat for "animals pictorial," "wildlife photography," and related terms.

Art
N for Fine Art, NB for sculpture, NC for drawing, ND for painting and NE for prints at the University Center Main Collection. 
Search for the artist's name in BobCat.  If you don't know the artist's name, search BobCat for the culture/religion/country associated with the object.

Drawing
NC at the University Center.  NA 2695-2709 for architectural drawing, T 353 for technical drawing, TT 509 for fashion illustration. Search for the artist's name in BobCat.  If you don't know the artist's name, search BobCat for the type of drawing you are looking for ("figure drawing") or the country or culture the drawing is from ("French drawing", "Renaissance drawing").

Fashion Collections
TT 505
at the University Center.  Search BobCat for the designer's name.

Fashion Drawing/Illustration
TT 509 at the University Center

Furniture
NK 2205-2270 at the University Center
Search BobCat for the manufacturer ("Knoll") or type of furniture ("chairs", "American antique furniture.").

Interiors
Search BobCat for the name of the interior designer, or for the type of interiors ("Scandinavian interiors") ("kitchens").

Landscapes
TR 660 for landscape photography, or try searching for a specific region.  For example, "Sahara" if you are looking for images of deserts, "Costa Rica" if you are looking for images of rain forests.

Maps
G and GA at the List Center , or search for "Maps" in the subject field in BobCat.

New York
F 128 at the List Center and NA 735 at the University Center.  Also search for "New York Photography."

Patterns-Clothing
TT 520 for women's clothing and TT590 for men's clothing.

Patterns-Decorative
NK 1390-1476 and NK 1530-1560 at the University Center or search for the type of pattern you are looking for ("Islamic Patterns").  Also try browsing the sections on Textiles/Fabric (NK 8806-8880 and TS 1300–1860) and Wallpaper (NK 3395-3340).

People
TR 680-1 at the University Center for portrait photography.  
For images of famous people, try searching by name ("Marilyn Monroe"), or for "celebrities portraits," "glamour photography," or "Hollywood photography."

Photography
Search by the photographer's name, or browse using the Photography Research Guide. 

Places
Search BobCat for keywords [place]+pictorial.

Plants / Trees / Flowers / Gardens
SB at the List Center or TR 724 at the Universisty Center.
Also search BobCat for "trees pictorial," "nature photography," "English gardens," and other related terms.

Posters
NC 1805-50 at the University Center or search for the name of the poster artist ("Milton Glaser") or country of origin ("Cuban posters").

Prints
NE at the University Center or search by the artist's name, country of origin, or type of print ("etchings").

Products
TS 23-194 for product design. 
Search BobCat for the type of product: ("toys," "tableware," or "clocks") or for the designer's name ("Karim Rashid").

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The Library of Congress subject subheading for books with images is "pictorial."  So if you want pictures of the Civil War, try a search using the keywords "civil war pictorial" in BobCat, the library catalog.

When viewing the details page of a book in the library catalog, click on "More Bibliographic Information."  If the "Description" includes the abbreviation "ill.", this means the book is illustrated.

Magazines

Print Periodicals are available from the New School University Center Library, and Special Collections.