Renaissance Architecture 

Art journal databases are specialized - they're by authorities ("peer reviewed") and have special ways to get at art topics.

Avery Index - premier index for architecture journals, run by Columbia University.

Art Abstracts/Art Index - the major journal article source for art.  Select either of the two databases and click the other (upper left selection) in order to search comprehensively from 1929

Bibliography of the History of Art - Broadest coverage, before 1970's strong French coverage

Jstor - limit to "Art History" in area content.  Remember, latest 3 years not indexed.

Medieval & Renaissance

ITER - Indexes journals covering European Renaissance (1300-1700) and medieval eras (400-1500).

General History

History Reference Online - Online collection of history reference print titles from all areas of history by the ABC Clio publishing firm.