ARTstor

Northwestern University subscribes to ARTstor, an online database of art images. ARTstor is a curated collection of art images and associated cataloging data intended for noncommercial and scholarly use. ARTstor was initiated by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Northwestern University has a unique relationship to ARTstor. A large portion of the Dunhuang collection in ARTstor was generated by a Northwestern project headed by Professor Sarah Fraser in association with the Dunhuang Research Academy. Pioneering digital imaging techniques were used to produce high resolution images of the cave murals at Dunhuang.

ARTstor can be used live to present images in the classroom, providing instructors with on-the-fly zooming, image details and searching. ARTstor also provides a downloadable 'image viewer' which allows instructors to save ARTstor presentations on a local computer and display images offline. Additionally, ARTstor can be used to make student study guides, giving instructors the ability to set up image groups for veiwing outside of class and to monitor student use of these image groups.

ARTstor FAQ

Who has access to ARTstor?
All members of the Northwestern community and visitors using the Northwestern network have access to ARTstor.

Why should I register with ARTstor?
You can view images on ARTstor without registering, but to obtain full use of the ARTstor interface you must register. To register, you give ARTstor your name and email address and set a passwork for yourself. Registration is free.

How do I obtain instructor privileges?
Contact the VMC. A staff member will provide you with the Northwestern instructor password.

Can I use ARTstor images in PowerPoint?
You can download small versions (about 200 pixels high) of ARTstor images to your computer. These images are in .jpeg format and can be used in any program, including PowerPoint. If you wish to display larger versions of the image you must use either the ARTstor online interface or the ARTstor offline image viewer. The offline image viewer allows you to include non-ARTstor images in your presentation.

Where can I be trained to use ARTstor?

Additionally, Academic Technologies runs occaisional workshops about using digital media. The ARTstor workshop was video taped and is available for checkout at the library.

ARTstor isn't working. What should I do?
If you are on campus:
Make sure you are using Internet Explorer as your browser. Currently, IE is the only browser supported by ARTstor. Make sure pop-ups are not suppressed. Make sure you have recently run a software update on your computer.

If you are off campus:
In addition to the above suggestions, remember that you must be on the Northwestern network to access ARTstor. Use either VPN or the library proxy server to access ARTstor through the NU network.