Fine Art

Paintings: What to Record

Works in oil, acrylic, tempera, watercolour and other paints.

The Data Sheet for Paintings

The 37 fields worth recording for paintings, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to paintings.

Identification

The core of a catalogue entry.

Title Text Fine art: The title or name the object is known by, as given by its maker, publisher or catalogue.
Artist Text Fine art: Artist's name as in the Getty ULAN or the catalogue raisonné; add 'attributed to', 'circle of', 'after' when not certain.
Artist details Text Fine art: Nationality and life dates of the artist, e.g. German, 1880-1938.
Attribution Choice Fine art: How certain the attribution is, in the terms auction houses use.
By the artist
Attributed to
Workshop / studio of
Circle of
Follower / school of
Manner of
After (copy)
Unknown artist
Date made Text Fine art: Date of the work as known, e.g. 1912, c. 1650, 1960s.
Medium & support Text Fine art: Materials and support as in a catalogue entry, e.g. oil on canvas, watercolour and gouache on paper.
Genre Choice, or your own Fine art: Subject genre.
Portrait
Landscape
Still life
Religious / mythological / history
Genre scene
Cityscape / architecture
Marine
Animal
Nude / figure
Abstract
Style / movement Text Fine art: Style, movement or school, e.g. Impressionism, Die Brücke, Bauhaus, Pop Art.
Subject Text Fine art: What the object depicts or is about.
Painting medium Choice, or your own: Main paint.
Oil
Acrylic
Tempera
Watercolour
Gouache
Encaustic
Enamel
Mixed media
Support Choice, or your own: What the painting is on.
Canvas
Panel / wood
Board / cardboard
Paper
Copper / metal
Glass (reverse painting)

Measurements

Height (cm) Number Fine art: Height, measured upright as the object is meant to stand or hang.
Width (cm) Number Fine art: Width, measured from the front.
Depth (cm) Number Fine art: Depth, measured from front to back.
Framed Choice Fine art: Presentation of the work.
Framed
Unframed
Mounted / matted
Stretched (unframed)
Frame size Text Fine art: Outer dimensions of the frame, height x width x depth.

Signature & marks

Signature, inscriptions, labels and stamps on the front and back.

Signature Choice Fine art: Whether and how the work is signed.
Signed
Signed and dated
Monogrammed
Estate stamp / signature
Signed in the plate
Unsigned
Inscriptions & marks Text Fine art: Signatures, labels, stamps, hallmarks, maker's marks and numbers, transcribed as they appear and with their position.

Documentation

Where the work is recorded and has been shown.

Catalogue raisonné Text Fine art: Number in the artist's catalogue raisonné (or work catalogue), with author and year.
Certificate / expertise Text Fine art: Certificates of authenticity or expert opinions, with issuer, date and number.
Exhibitions Text Fine art: Exhibitions the work was shown in, with venue and year.
Literature Text Fine art: Publications that mention or illustrate the work.
Reference link Link Fine art: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).

Condition

Condition Choice Fine art: Overall condition in plain terms; domains with an established grading scale use that scale instead.
Mint / as new
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Condition notes Text Fine art: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Restoration & repairs Text Fine art: Restorations, repairs, replaced parts and cleaning, with who did them and when if known.

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Fine art: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Fine art: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Fine art: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Fine art: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Fine art: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Fine art: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Fine art: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Fine art: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Fine art: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Fine art: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Fine art: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.