Art books are classified at N-NX and shelved in the Central Library on Level 6. Photography, classified at TR, is on Level 4, and Aesthetics / Philosophy of Art (BH) is on Level 11
Reference books (dictionaries and encyclopedias) are borrowable and shelved at their call numbers with the other borrowable books. See also: art e-reference.
The Library of Congress classification system is used to organize the books. Each Library book has a call number showing where it is located, which can be found on its catalogue record.
Textbooks and recommended readings for particular courses are placed on High Demand by lecturers and located in the Self-Loan Area on Level 2. To see the list for a particular course, type the course code into the Course code search box in the Catalogue, or refer to the course page in Learn
Many books, slim exhibition catalogues, and other resources for New Zealand and Pacific art are located in the Macmillan Brown Library. Library staff in the MB Library can help you with accessing any material held there.
Click a heading or scroll down to browse the classifications guide (with catalogue links):
Visual arts in general
Visual arts by media:
Related subjects include:
N | Visual arts in general |
See also NX: The Arts (general) | |
N 1-8 | Periodicals. Serials |
N 31-34 | Encyclopedias, dictionaries, terminology |
N 61-72 | Theory of visual arts |
N 81-390 | Study and teaching. Research |
N 400-3990 | Art museums, galleries, etc. |
N 4390-5098 | Exhibitions |
N 5200-5299 |
Private collections and collectors |
N 5300-7418 | History of visual arts (general) |
N 5310-5310.5 | Prehistoric art |
N 5311-5313 | Primitive art. Folk art |
N 5315-5899 | Ancient art. Artistic archaeology |
N 5963-6311 | Medieval art |
N 6370-6375 | Renaissance art. 16th century |
N 6410-6415 | 17th century |
N 6420-6425 | 18th century |
N 6447 | 19th & 20th centuries (combined) |
N 6450-6465 | 19th century |
N 6485-6494 | 20th century |
N 6494 |
Aspects or movements, A-Z, eg. Abstraction |
N 6501-7413 | Art by country or region (general) |
N 6505-6538 | United States |
N 6761-6797 | Great Britain |
N 6841-6853 | France |
N 6843 | Medieval. Gothic. Romanesque |
N 6844 | Modern French art (general) |
N 6845 | 14th-16th centuries |
N 6846-6846.5 | 17th-18th centuries |
N 6847-6847.5 | 19th century |
N 6848-6848.5 | 20th century |
N 6849 | Special divisions, A-Z |
N 6850 | Paris |
N 6853 | French artists, A-Z |
N 6853 .P5 | Picasso |
NB: This pattern of subdivisions for France is repeated similarly for other countries (also under the various art media divisions NA-NK) | |
N 6861-6888 | Germany |
N 6911-6923 | Italy |
N 6935-6973 | Netherlands (Holland). Flanders. Belgium |
N 6953 | Dutch artists, A-Z |
N 6981-6999 | Russia / USSR |
N 7001-7093 | Scandinavia |
N 7101-7113 | Spain |
N 7300-7310.8 | India. South Asia |
N 7340-7349 | China |
N 7350-7359 | Japan |
N 7380-7399 | Africa |
N 7400-7405 | Australia |
N 7406-7408 | New Zealand |
N 7410-7413 |
Pacific Islands |
N 7420-7525.8 | General works on art, incl. technique & composition |
N 7475-7483 | Art criticism |
N 7560-8266 | Special subjects of art |
N 7570-7624 | Human figure. Portraits |
N 7710-7760 | Allegories. Symbolism. Mythology |
N 7810-8189 | Christian art |
N 8190-8199 | Art of other religions |
N 8350-8356 | Art as a profession. Artists |
N 8354 | Women as artists |
N 8600-8675 | Economics of art, including art dealers |
N 8700-9165 | Art and the state. Public art |
N 8790 |
Forgeries |
NA | Architecture |
NA 1-6 | Periodicals |
NA 31 | Encyclopedias, dictionaries, terminology |
NA 190-1555.5 | History of architecture |
NA 210-340 | Ancient |
NA 350-489 | Medieval, incl. Byzantine, Islamic, Romanesque, Gothic |
NA 500-682 | Modern |
NA 590 | Baroque. Rococo |
NA 600 | Neoclassicism |
NA 610 | Gothic Revival |
NA 645-670 | 19th century |
NA 680-682 | 20th century |
NA 700-1613 | By country or region |
NA 705-737 | United States |
NA 961-997 | Great Britain |
NA 1550-1559 | Japan |
NA 1606-1608 | New Zealand |
NA 1995-1997 | Architecture as a profession |
NA 2000-2320 | Study and teaching. Research |
NA 2500-2599 | General works. Theory, aesthetics, etc. |
NA 2695-2793 | Architectural drawing and design |
NA 2840-4050 | Details and decoration |
NA 4100-8480 | Special classes of buildings, incl. public, domestic, etc. |
NA 9000-9428 | Aesthetics of cities. City planning and beautifying |
NA 9320-9425 |
Ornamental structures (monuments, etc.) |
NB | Sculpture |
NB 60-1115 | History of sculpture |
NB 185-198 | Modern |
NB 198 | 20th century |
NB 201-1114 | By country or region |
NB 1080-1099 | Africa |
NB 1106-1108 | New Zealand |
NB 1135-1150 | General works on sculpture |
NB 1170-1195 |
Technique |
NC | Drawing. Graphic design. Illustration |
NC 50-266 | History of drawing |
NC 80-95 | Modern |
NC 95 | 20th century |
NC 101-376 | By country or region |
NC 372-374 | New Zealand |
NC 703-725 | General works. Theory of design |
NC 730-758 | Drawing technique |
NC 760-825 | Special subjects (anatomy, etc.) |
NC 960-996 | Illustration |
NC 997-1003 | Commercial art. Advertising art |
NC 1300-1766 | Pictorial humour, caricature, etc. |
NC 1800-1896 |
Posters, postcards, etc. |
ND | Painting |
ND 34-38 | Biography (collective) |
ND 40-47 | Painting catalogues and indexes |
ND 49-813 | History of painting |
ND 160-196 | Modern |
ND 170 | Renaissance |
ND 180-188 | 17th-18th centuries |
ND 190-192 | 19th century |
ND 192 .I4 | Impressionism |
ND 195-196 | 20th century |
ND 196 .A2 | Abstract painting |
ND 201-1114 | By country or region |
ND 541-553 | France |
ND 553 .P5 | Picasso |
ND 1106-1108 | New Zealand |
ND 1130-1156 | General works on painting |
ND 1288-1460 | Special subjects, incl. figure, portraits, landscape, etc. |
ND 1470-1625 | Painting technique and materials, incl. colour, manuals |
ND 1700-2495 | Watercolour painting |
ND 2092 | New Zealand |
ND 2550-2733 | Mural painting |
ND 2560-2590 | History of mural painting |
ND 2601-2876 | Mural painting by country |
ND 2755-2757 | Italy |
ND 2889-3416 | Illuminating of manuscripts and books |
ND 2900-3294 | History |
ND 3001-3294 | By country |
ND 3345-3399 |
Special illuminated works, incl. Bibles; Books of hours |
NE | Print media |
NE 400-773 | History of printmaking |
NE 430-492 | Modern printmaking |
NE 501-794 | By country or region |
NE 771-773 | Japan (see also: NE 1310-1326.5) |
NE 792 | New Zealand |
NE 850-898 | General works on printmaking |
NE 1030-1352 | Wood engraving |
NE 1310-1326.5 | Japanese wood engraving |
NE 1330-2505 |
Other techniques, incl. linocuts, intaglio, etching, etc. |
NK | Decorative arts |
NK 28-30 | Encyclopedias and dictionaries |
NK 600-1094 | History |
NK 775-789 | 19th-20th centuries |
NK 801-1094 | By country or region (incl. folk art) |
NK 928-942 | Great Britain |
NK 942 .M8 | William Morris |
NK 1091-1092 | New Zealand |
NK 1100-1133 | General works, incl. industrial design |
NK 1135-1149.5 | Arts and Crafts Movement |
NK 1160-1590 | Design. Decoration and ornament |
NK 1401-1496 | Design by country or region |
NK 1493 | New Zealand |
NK 1505-1525 | Design theory. General works on design |
NK 1700-2195 | Interior decoration. House decoration |
NK 2200-3640 | Furniture, rugs, tapestries, wallpapers, alphabets, etc. |
NK 3700-4695 | Ceramics, incl. ancient Greek pottery & vases |
NK 4700-4890 | Costume and its accessories |
NK 5100-5440 | Glass, incl. stained glass & glass painting |
NK 5500-6050 | Glyptic arts (carving or engraving of gems, etc.) |
NK 6400-8459 | Metalwork, incl. jewelry, bronzes, etc. |
NK 8800-9505.5 | Textile arts |
NK 9600-9955 |
Woodwork incl. wood carving |
NX | The arts (general) |
NB: Works classified at NX, rather than at N (visual arts in general), concern the visual arts plus other arts forms, such as music, literature and/or film | |
NX 163-164 | The arts as a profession. Artists |
NX 165 | Psychology of the arts and the artist |
NX 170-175 | Interrelationships among the arts |
NX 180 | The arts in relation to other subjects, A-Z |
NX 180 .F4 | Feminism |
NX 180 .M3 | Mass media |
NX 180 .S6 | Society. Culture |
NX 180 .T4 | Technology |
NX 420-430 | Exhibitions. Festivals of the arts |
NX 440-458 | History of the arts |
NX 456-458 | 20th century |
NX 456.5 .P66 | Postmodernism |
NX 501-596 | The arts by country or region |
NX 593 | New Zealand |
NX 600 | Arts movements, A-Z |
NX 600 .S9 | Surrealism |
NX 650 | Subjects or topics in the arts, A-Z |
NX 652 | Characters, classes of persons, etc., in the arts |
NX 700-750 | Patronage of the arts |
Click here to see floor plans for each level of the Puaka-James Hight Library.
To browse titles by subject in the catalogue, click a classification no. link in the Guide (below), or use the Call Number (LC) index (find it in the Search drop-down menu). Eg., N 6841 = French art (general).
NB: To retrieve records for e-books, use Multisearch and refine results to (1) Book / eBook, and (2) Full Text Online.
Some older or less frequently used books and paper journals are held in Storage. These can be browsed in person by appointment.
To make an appointment, please email library staff