Searching for background information is a great way to get started with unfamiliar topics. You can use encyclopedias, dictionaries, and general resources to understand the terms, context, and time period surrounding your topic.
This reference resource provides access to full-text information, both in-depth and overviews, on a wealth of subjects, from people groups to history to designer biographies.
Oxford Art Online provides in-depth articles on art movements and techniques, as well as information on artists and some artworks. Users can access articles from Grove Art Online, the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms.
Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art Terms by 
The Illustrator in America, 1860-2000 by 
The Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators, 1915-1985 by