During this first phase of research, the team focused on the study of the main art theory books published between 1600 and 1750. While developing a common method that will meet the requirements and needs of the database and allow complex search modes, major works of authors such as Van Mander, Bosse, Pader, Félibien, De Piles, Sandrart, but also translations, such as the Trattato della pittura (…) by Leonardo da Vinci, were studied. On 30 September 2014, twenty-six books were completed, bringing together more than 8000 quotes from theoretical texts that were subsequently used to define or circumscribe the concepts and terms of art theory and its apprehension. Nineteen works were being studied at the moment, among which may be mentioned for example the Inleyding tot hooge schoole der schilderkonst (…) of Samuel van Hoogstraten, the Kurzer Theoretischen Begriff der Mahler-Kunst (…) of Samuel Theodor Gericke and the Traité sur la Peinture pour apprendre la Theorie (…) by Bernard Dupuy of Grez.