Where to find it
A Browser's Guide to Art Call Numbers
N, NB, NC, ND, NE, NK, NX
N (Visual arts in general, not confined to one medium)
N 1-17 Periodicals.
N 20 Cornell MFA and PhD theses in Art and Art History.
N 400 - 4040 Art museums, galleries, private collections.
N 5300 - 5306 General histories of art.
N 5308 - 5310 Prehistoric and primitive art.
N 5320 - 5940 Ancient and classical art
(5350: Egypt. 5630 - 5720: Greece. 5740 - 5790: Rome).
N 5950 - 6311 Medieval art.
N 6370 - 6375 Renaissance art (15th & 16th centuries).
N 6407 - 6425 Baroque, rococo (17th & 18th centuries).
N 6450 - 6465 19th century.
N 6485 - 6494 20th century.
N 6501 - 7414 Special countries and individual artists.
The countries are arranged in this general sequence: United States, Canada, Central and South America, Great Britain, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, countries of the Near East, Far East, Africa, Australia.
Each country has the following sub-arrangement: general histories; special periods (arranged chronologically); special regions, states, or provinces; special cities; individual artists arranged alphabetically.
For example, here is the sequence under France:
6814 General works.
6842 Ancient.
6843 Medieval.
6844 Modern period in general (Renaissance to the present).
6845 14th to 16th centuries.
6846 17th to 18th centuries.
6847 19th century.
6848 20th century.
6849 Special regions or provinces (arranged alphabetically).
6850 Paris.
6851 Other cities (arranged alphabetically).
6852 Collective biography.
6853 Special artists (arranged alphabetically).
N 7475 Art criticism.
N 7560 - 8266 Special subjects of art.
7575 - 7639: Portraits.
7660 - 7639: Animals, birds, plants.
7790 - 8195: Religious art.
8010 - 8189: Christian art & iconography.
8217 - 8260: Other special subjects (arranged alphabetically).
NA (Architecture)
See "Where to find it: A Browsers Guide to Architecture"
NB (Sculpture)
NB 69 - 169 Ancient.
NB 170 - 180 Medieval.
NB 185 - 198 Renaissance to 20th century.
NB 201 - 1114 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414).
NB 1208 - 1270 Sculpture in special materials (1230: bronze).
NB 1293 - 1895 Special forms of sculpture (relief sculpture, portraits, monuments).
NC (Drawing, Illustration)
NC 55 - 65 Ancient.
NC 70 - 75 Medieval.
NC 80 - 95 Renaissance to 20th century.
NC 101 - 377 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414).
NC 749 - 750 Perspective.
NC 760 - 774 Art anatomy; figure drawing.
NC 950 - 1003 Illustration; advertising art.
NC 1300 - 1766 Caricature.
NC 1800 - 1861 Posters.
ND (Painting)
ND 49 - 55 General histories of painting.
ND 60 - 135 Ancient.
ND 140 - 146 Medieval.
ND 160 - 196 Renaissance to 20th century.
ND 201 - 1114 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414).
ND 1290 - 1460 Special subjects of painting
1300 - 1337: Portraits.
1340 - 1367: Landscape.
1387 - 1390: Still life.
1450 - 1452: Genre.
ND 1486 - 1495 Color.
ND 1700 - 2495 Watercolor painting.
ND 2550 - 2888 Mural painting.
ND 2890 - 3416 Illumination of manuscripts.
NE (Graphic Arts, Printmaking)
NE 400 - 492 History of printmaking.
NE 501 - 794.5 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414).
NE 953 - 962 Special subjects.
NE 1000 - 1352 Woodcut.
NE 1400 - 1879 Metal engraving.
NE 1940 - 2230 Etching and aquatint.
NE 2236 - 2240 Silkscreen.
NE 2250 - 2529 Lithography.
NK (Decorative Arts, Applied Art, Industrial Design)
NK 600 - 789 History.
NK 801 - 1094.5 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414)
NK 1135 - 1149 Arts and crafts movement.
NK 1700 - 3505 Interior decoration
2200 - 2750: Furniture.
2775 - 2896: Rugs, carpets.
NK 3700 - 9955 Other art industries (ceramics, glass, metalwork, textiles, woodworking, etc.).
NX (The Arts: Visual Arts in combination with other arts: literature, music, performing arts, etc.)
NX 440 - 458 History of the arts.
NX 501 - 596.3 Special countries and artists (same sequence as N 6501 - 7414)
NX 600 Special movements, arranged alphabetically
D3: Dada.
S9: Surrealism.
NX 700 - 750 Patronage of the arts.
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