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Cultural Objects Name Authority Online
3. Editorial Rules, continued
 
 

3

EDITORIAL RULES, CONTINUED

   

3.6

 

Fields for the Physical Work, Its Creation, and Subject

   

3.6.1

 

Work Type, Creator, Dates, Location

Included in this chapter

   

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.1

 

 

Catalog Level (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of the level of cataloging represented by the record, based on the physical form or intellectual content of the material.

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.2

 

 

Values
Values are drawn from an extensible list. As of this writing, values include the following:

not applicable
undetermined
item
volume
album
group
subgroup
box
fond
portfolio
collection
series
set
multiples
component
suite
complex
object grouping
performance
items

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

Catalog Level identifies the logical focus of the record. Works of art or architecture may be considered a single item, or they may be made up of many physical parts or arranged in separate physical groupings.

What is being cataloged? A particular work of art or architecture, or a group of objects? A single painted canvas or an altarpiece made up of many panels? A monolithic sculpture or an installation? A single structure or a building composed of various parts that were constructed at significantly different times? A single drawing on one piece of paper or a volume of drawings such as an album or sketchbook? Or an archival group comprising drawings, prints, computer diskettes, and photographs?

In cataloging museum objects and special collections, Record Type will usually be Item. A built work is an Item.

Group records
If a group, volume, or other such broader entity is cataloged, the information in the group record should be applicable for all parts or members of the group. If individual member items will not be cataloged separately, records for the broader context group should be complete enough to allow retrieval of the items.

If parts or members are cataloged separately as items, the item-level records should be linked to the group through hierarchical whole/part relationships.

Components
If a work is made up of many components, the components may also have parts; these relationships should be indicated. For example, it should be possible to indicate the relationships between a teapot and its lid, and between a cup and its saucer, when both sets form part of the larger tea set being described. An installation in the stations format may have many parts or stations, each made up of different objects. A basilica may have towers and a dome that were constructed during separate design and building campaigns.

Levels of cataloging in different disciplines
The most common levels of cataloging include groups, subgroups, volumes, and single items. Archives typically catalog (or "describe") on the group level, because they collect large bodies of objects that can be readily broken into intellectual and physical groups.

A defining characteristic of group-level cataloging is that the objects in a group can be described meaningfully as an aggregate, generally because they share a common purpose or origin; however, a group often contains many different types of objects (e.g., drawings, books, models, and correspondence).

Museums traditionally favor item-level cataloging, assigning accession numbers and other catalog information to every individual object in their collections. Libraries traditionally catalog volumes as individual items and typically do not catalog individual prints or illustrations in the pages of a volume.

Although archives, museums, and libraries traditionally employ different strategies for description or cataloging, the various levels of cataloging discussed in in this manual may be employed at certain times by all types of institutions. For example, an archive may make item-level records for their most important works, linking the item's record to the record for the group of which it is a part.

Museums may catalog large bodies of drawings, prints, or artifacts as a group, based upon the origin of the items (e.g., a particular donor's collection). Museums may develop strategies by which they initially catalog an entire collection on the group level in order to gain immediate control over the materials, and then go back and make item-level records for the individual objects when time allows.

A library containing rare books may use item-level cataloging for the most important individual prints in a volume, and link the item-level records to the record for the volume.

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.5

 

 

RULES for Catalog Level

 

 

 

3.6.1.1.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Catalog Level

Required: As a preliminary step in cataloging the work, determine the cataloging level that is appropriate to the work.

Record a term indicating if the catalog record represents an item, volume, group, subgroup, collection, series, set, or component. Specialized archival terminology may be used (e.g., fond).

 

 


3.6.1.1.5.2

   

What is an appropriate catalog level?

Choose an appropriate catalog level based on the definitions below.

       
     
  • Not applicable or undetermined
    Do not use these values. N/A (not applicable) or undetermined are used for guide terms and as a default for data that is loaded from a contributor, but lacking an indication of catalog level.
       
     
  • Item
    An item (term is a singular noun) is an individual object or work. Most works in museums are cataloged as items.

    A stand-alone architectural work should generally be cataloged as an item.

    An item may be composed of multiple parts or components, and it may be desirable to catalog the parts separately, linking the records for the components to the record for the whole. An item differs from a component in that the component cannot stand alone as an independent work.

    For disassembled works: For works that formerly were part of a larger whole and are now disassembled, often held by different repositories, choose catalog level item. These works are treated as individual items by their repositories, not as components. They may be linked to a record representing the former whole as whole/part through Hierarchical Relationships.
  • Group
    An archival group, or record group, is an aggregate of items that share a common provenance. Archival groups may range in size from several thousand items (e.g., the entire body of drawings, models, and written documents from an architect's office) to just a few items (e.g., a handful of surviving drawings from one architectural project).

    Group-level cataloging focuses on the description of coherent, collective bodies of works. The description emphasizes the characteristics of the group as a whole, and highlights the unique and distinctive characteristics of the most important works in the group. Groups are usually defined by repositories, and may have several subgroups that are established by archival principles of provenance.

    The catalog record for a group normally corresponds to a physical group as it currently exists and is stored by the repository; however, historical groups may also be described.

    Groups may be divided into subgroups, boxes, fonds, or other divisions. Items, volumes, or sub-groups may be cataloged separately and linked to the group through hierarchical whole/part relationships. The archival description and extent of the group may be described in Descriptive Note (e.g., approximately 1,300 linear feet. The records of M. Knoedler & Co. document the business of one of the most important American art dealers for more than a century, from 1848 to 1971). The counts may be indexed in Dimensions.

  • Portfolio
    A portfolio comprises unbound works brought together, issued, or housed together, often in a portfolio and often including a loose title page or text introduction. In archival description, a portfolio may occasionally comprise a level of archival organization.
       

   
  • Volume
    A volume comprises sheets of paper, vellum, papyrus, or another material that are bound together. Volumes may include printed books, manuscripts, or sketchbooks. Where the parts of a historical volume have been dispersed, records for the individual sheets may be linked as a historical volume for research purposes.

    For intact books, manuscripts, and sketchbooks, the illuminations or other parts may be better cataloged as components rather than items (but this is a judgment call on the part of the cataloging institution). Items or components should be linked to the record for the volume through hierarchical relationships. The codicology of the volume may be described in Descriptive Note (e.g., 574 folios + 3 flyleaves, 84 historiated initials, numerous decorated initials). The count of the parts may be indexed in Dimensions.
  • Album
    While some repositories will consider an album the same thing as a volume for cataloging purposes, others may wish to designate the album as a separate catalog level, since albums are gathered and created in a manner differently from typical printed books or manuscripts.

    Given that an album contains individual drawings, prints, or other art works that have been mounted, the drawings, etc. in an album may be cataloged as items and linked to the record for the volume through hierarchical relationships. The description of the album may be included in Descriptive Note. The count of the items may be indexed in Dimensions.
       

   
  • Collection
    A collection comprises multiple items that are conceptually or physically arranged together for the purpose of cataloging or retrieval. A collection differs from an archival group because the items in a collection are bound informally for convenience and do not necessarily share a common provenance or otherwise meet the criteria for an archival group.

    Collection-level cataloging is appropriate for materials that share one or more common characteristics that make it useful for them to be clustered together. Individual items in a collection may be cataloged separately and linked to the collection through hierarchical relationships. The description of the collection may be included in Descriptive Note. The count of the items may be indexed in Dimensions.
  • Series
    A series comprises a number of works that were created in temporal succession by the same artist or studio and intended by the creator(s) to be seen together or in succession as a cycle of works. Examples include series of prints and fresco cycles. Works in a series typically share the same or related subjects, the same or similar media, or other characteristics, but their defining characteristic is that they were intended to be conceptually related as a series or cycle. Individual items in a unique physical series (e.g., the Wheatstacks Claude Monet) of may be cataloged separately and linked to the series through hierarchical relationships.

    For series of multiples, which are for cataloging purposes conceptual rather than physical series, the series should be placed in the Conceptual Works facet, and unique physical items linked to the series.
  • Set
    A set is an assembly of items that the creator intended to be together (e.g., a tea set, a desk set). A set differs from a collection in that it is typically smaller and was intended by the creator to be grouped together. It is useful to catalog the set as a whole when the items in the set will not be cataloged separately or when there are characteristics of the whole set that may not be apparent in the individual records for the parts. Items in the set may be cataloged separately and linked to the set through hierarchical relationships.
  • Suite
    A suite is an assembly of items intended to be together. The designation is often reserved for assemblies of furniture or other items that are commonly referred to as a suite rather than a set.
       

   
  • Multiples
    A record for multiples is conceptual, not representing a physical work. A multiples record typically includes general information about the given works created as multiples, such as prints, sculptures, and other works produced in multiples from a plate, mold, computer program, or other device or method. It is useful to catalog the group of multiples as a whole when the individual works will not be cataloged separately, or when there are characteristics of the whole multiples group that do not apply to each item in the group. For example, this record will allow you to capture information about the relationship between various states of a print or cancellation of a plate.

    Physical items that represent the conceptual multiples record may be cataloged separately and linked to the multiples record through hierarchical relationships. The record for the multiples as an entity should be placed in the Conceptual Works facet; physical representatives of the multiples should be cataloged as items in the Movable Works facet
  • Component
    A component is a part of a larger item. A component differs from an item in that the item can stand alone as an independent work but the component typically cannot or does not stand alone (e.g., a panel of a polyptych, an architectural component). If a separate record is made for the component, it must be linked to a record for an item or a volume through Hierarchical Relationships.

    It is necessary to create a separate record for the component only when the information for the whole work (item) varies significantly from information for the parts, including when the artist, dates, style, or media differ between the whole work and its parts.

    Component records should typically be made only for movable works that all reside in the same repository or for built works.

    Disassembled works: For works that were historically components of a larger whole, but are now detached from the original whole, particularly when the former part stands alone in a different repository from other parts, catalog each part as an item rather than a component (although historical whole/part relationships may be made between the item and its former whole through Hierarchical Relationships).

  • Complex
    A complex, or building complex, is an aggregation of buildings, other structures, and open spaces, often multifunctional.

  • Object grouping
    Refers to a grouping of works, whether assembled by the artist or another person at a later time.

  • Performance
    Performance or performance art refers to works of art that unfold over time and that combine elements of theater and object-oriented art.
  • Items
    The catalog level items (plural noun) is used as a broader record for multiple works that form part of an assembly of some kind, but the assembly is not adequately explained by one of the other catalog level designations (for example, a pair of terrestrial and celestial globes). The designation should be used only when the cataloging institution has reason to make a broader-level record for two or more items. Do not use Catalog Level to casually group together works for research purposes or other such reasons.

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.2

 

 

Work Type (required)

       

3.6.1.2.1

 

 

Definition
The kind of object or work described.

  • Examples
    painting
    photograph
    drawing
    print
    bust
    statue
    bas-relief
    sketchbook
    portfolio
    installation
    performance
    tea set
    basilica
    dome
    monastery

 

 

 

3.6.1.2.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a link to the AAT.

In general, limit work types to terms found in the Objects Facet of the AAT.

 

 

 

3.6.1.2.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.2.4

 

 

Discussion

A work may be a single physical thing, a fragment or part of a broken or dispersed work, a work composed of many parts, or an event considered an art work, such as a happening or other time-based, nonpermanent work.

When assigning work types, catalogers should consider the focus of the collection and expertise of the users; most institutions must accommodate both the expert and the general user.

Only what is known
Assign work type terms with sufficient specificity, based upon available information. However, to not record a specific work type if documentation does not support it. If you are not certain of a specific work type, use a term about which you are certain. Catalogers should not guess or make assumptions unless they have authoritative documentation.

Work Type may change over time

Work types may represent changes in the form or use of the work over time. The physical form or function of a work can change, such as when a sculptural group now located in a museum was originally used as a support for a table. A building that now houses a museum may have originally been designed as a church.

It is important to record a term for the work type at the time of creation, as well as all subsequent functions and forms, particularly a work type applicable to the work's current state.

Work types may be used differently in different contexts by different repositories (for example, is a watercolor a painting or a drawing? It may depend upon whether or not the support is paper). Rely upon the scope notes in the AAT to choose appropriate work types.

Work Type and Hierarchical Relationships
In choosing a work type for an item, if the cataloger is tempted to add multiple work types representing significant changes over time, keep in mind that perhaps this indicates there should be separate records for the different works, linked through hierarchical relationships.

For example, there should be two records for St. Peter's in Rome: The current building complex, and the historical basilica which was the predecessor to the current buildings. It would be impractical to describe both in a single work record, and they were built separately as unconnected buildings. However, for Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the physical changes to the building as church, mosque, and museum on the same site over time may be of a scope appropriate for description in a single record.

Work Type and Classification
The Work Type is generally displayed with Classification. The work type is intended to identify -- in a rather specific way -- the work that is the focus of the catalog record. Classificaiton differs in that it refers to broad categories or a classification scheme that associates works together on the basis of shared characteristics, including materials, form, shape, function, region of origin, cultural context, or historical or stylistic period.

Even so, work type may occasionally be the same word as classification. For example, the classification may be paintings and the most appropriate specific work type may be painting. The terms derive from different sources: Classification is controlled by an extensible list; work type is controlled by a link to the AAT.

       

3.6.1.2.5

 

 

RULES for Work Type

 

 

 

3.6.1.2.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Work Type

Required: Work Type is required. Record an appropriate value from the AAT Objects Facet.

 

 


     

Note: As with all fields in CONA, for contributed records, Vocabulary Program editors should not change the work types as supplied by the contributor unless otherwise instructed by your supervisor.

 

 

 

3.6.1.2.5.2

 

 

How to choose Work Type terms

  • Form, function, media of the work
    For work type, choose at least one term that refers to the work's physical form, its function, or references the media or technique. Work types may also refer obliquely to the subject.

    Note that there are conventions in art history and common cataloging practice that will often dictate the choice of work type term.

    Use the Objects Facet of the AAT. Use the scope notes of the AAT record to confirm the definitions of the terms.
  • Homographs
    There are many homographs in the AAT. When choosing the work type term, be careful to choose a noun from the Objects Facet. For example, use painting (visual work) as the work type, not the process painting (image-making).
  • Form and syntax of the term
    The link to the AAT for Work Type allows the cataloger to choose any term in the AAT record.

    Record the work type in sigular noun form for one item. Record the plural noun form of the term for multple items being indexed in the same record.

    • Examples

    • [for a dower chest, singular noun]
    • Work Type: dower chest

      [for a group of photographs, plural noun]
    • Work Type: photographs

    Descriptors: It is advised, but not required to use the AAT Descriptor or Alternate Descriptor. However, if local usage dictates, a Used For term may be linked instead. For catalog records in languages other than English, a term in another language may be used.
  • Specificity
    Choose the most specific, appropriate term, based on authoritative information. For example, use the narrower term kylix rather than the broader cup (drinking vessel), if known.

  • Known vs. unknown
    Do not guess. Do not base your choice of term on your own, the cataloger's, observations.

    Caveat: It is better to be broad and correct than specific and incorrect. For example, if you suspect that a drawing may be a working drawing, but you do not have documentation confirming this, you should use a more general term instead, such as the broader architectural drawing or the even broader drawing.

 

 

 

   
  • Multiple work types
    Work Type is a repeating field. A single work may have more than one work type, because one term may not sufficiently describe the work. For example, terms for function, form, and general medium could be included as work types for one item.

    • Example

    • [form, media, and function of an item are represented in work types]
    • Work Type: panel painting (painting by form)
      Work Type: altarpiece
      Work Type: polyptych

  • For groups, collections, sets
    A single record may represent more than one object, thus requiring multiple work types.

    If more than one object is being cataloged in a single CONA record (e.g., for a group-level record, a set, a collection), record the multiple work types, sorted in order of importance or frequency.

    Index all types of works included in the group, if possible. If this is impractical, index the most important or most prevalent types of works represented in the group.

    For groups, the preferred work type should be a general term that refers to the primary members of the group.

    • Example

    • [for a group of photographs]
    • Work Type: photographs
      Work Type: albumen prints
      Work Type: daguerreotypes (photographs)
      Work Type:
      correspondence
  • When to include broader contexts

    For items: For items, it is not necessary to index the broader context of a more specific work type. Given that work type is linked to the AAT, broader contexts are linked to the more specific terms. For example, if the work type is daguerreotype (photograph), it not necessary to also link to the broader context photograph as work type.

    For groups: For groups, the preferred work type indeed should be a broad term that refers in a general way to all or to the most important items in the group (e.g., in the example for a group of photographs above).
  • Historical work types
    If the function or form of the work has changed over time, include current and historical work types, if appropriate. historical flags and date fields for the work types are discussed below.

    • Example

    • [for a palimpsest, a book in which a previous scientific treatise and illuminations have been scraped away and a prayer book written on the pages]
    • Work Type: palimpsest     Historical: current
      Work Type: prayer book    Historical: current
      Work Type: treatise    Historical: historical

    Alternatively, if warranted, a separate record could be created for the obscured, original, or additional work. The two records could be linked through Hierarchical Relationships.
  • Reference to materials
    If a work type term refers to materials or technique (e.g., engraving), reference this information using an appropriate term in Materials. If necessary, the same exact term could be included in both places, although it is preferrable to use a corresponding material or technique term in Materials.

    • Examples

    • Work Type: engraving (print)
      Materials Display: engraving
      Material/Technique Term: engraving (printing process)

    • Work Type: bronze (visual work)
      Materials Display: bronze
      Material/Technique Term: bronze (metal)
  • Reference to subjects
    In general, avoid using a work type term referring to the subject of the work. For example, if an engraving depicts horses in an equestrian ballet, this is not the work type. Instead, in Depicted Subject index the subject as Equus caballus (species) and equestrian ballet. The work type could be engraving (print).

    Exceptions: If local practice dictates, terms that reference subject in the Objects Facet: <visual works by subject type> or <document genres by function> may be used as work types. Included could be landscape, portrait, and still life.

    In certain cases, the work type may imply both physical form as well as the depicted subject. It is customary practice in certain disciplines to use such terms as work types (e.g., Buddha (from <visual works by subject type>) or Bible (from <document genres by function>)).

    As the preferred work type, do not use terms from <visual works by subjet type>. Such terms should be non-preferred work types.

    If the subject is referenced in the work type, it must be also indexed as Depicted Subject.

    • Examples

    • Work Type: panel painting
      Work Type: landscape (representation)
      General Subject: landscape
      Specific Depicted Subject: shan shui [from AAT, a type of landscape representation]

      [in the field of Asian art history, "Buddha" is considered a work type, identified by certain traditional forms, not only as a subject]
    • Work Type: sculpture
      Work Type: Buddha [from AAT, <visual works by subject type>]
      General Subject: religion and mythology
      Specific Depicted Subject: Reclining Buddha [from the CONA IA, Religion and Mythology, Hindu and Buddhist iconography]

   

   
  • For manuscripts and other documents

    Form and content terms: For manuscripts, printed books, and other documents, include work type terms from the AAT for both the form of the work (e.g., scroll, fraktur, book) and an indirect reference to the content (e.g., Bible, treatise).

    Index the subject in the Depicted Subject fields, even when that means repeating the same term in both places (e.g., baptismal certificate below).

    • Examples

    • Work Type: illuminated manuscript
      Work Type: book
      Work Type: Bible [AAT, <document genres by function>]
      Specific Depicted Subject: Bible, The [Literature, CONA IA]

    • Work Type: fraktur (document)
      Work Type: baptismal certificate [AAT, <document genres by function>]
      Specific Depicted Subject: baptismal certificate [AAT]

  • For architectural drawings

    Method of representation and purpose terms: Architectural drawings and other architectural documents require an indication of method of representation (e.g., plan, elevation) and purpose (e.g., working drawing, presentation drawing), when applicable.

    Work type may include method of representation and purpose terms.

    Also index method of representation and purpose in Depicted Subject, even if it means repeating the same terms there.

    • Example

    • Work Type: architectural drawing (visual work)
      Work Type: elevation (orthographic projection)
      Work Type: working drawing
      General Subject:
      architecture
      Specific Depicted Subject:
      San Lorenzo (Florence, Italy) [link to built work in CONA]
      Specific Depicted Subject: elevation (orthographic projection)
      Specific Depicted Subject: working drawing

  • For architecture

    Form and function terms: For built works, choose work types representing the form or function of the work. In many cases, both form and function are referenced by work type terms.

    If the type of floorplan is referenced here, reference it also in the Materials/Techniques fields.

    • Example

    • [the funtion,"cathedral," and form, "basilica" are included as work types; the form is also referenced in Materials, as "basilican plan"]
    • Work Type: cathedral
      Work Type: basilica
      Materials/Technique term: basilican plan

   

   
  • Sort the work types
  • Sort the work types in an appropriate order, as described in Sequence Number below.

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.3

 

 

Preferred Flag (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of whether the Work Type is preferred or non-preferred.

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list.

preferred
non-preferred

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

The preferred work type is the default value that will appear in wall labels and other short descriptions of the work.

All work types are available in retrieval.

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.5

 

 

RULES for Preferred Flag

 

 

 

3.6.1.3.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Preferred Flag

Required-default: Set the flag to Preferred or Non-Preferred, as appropriate. If there is only one work type, by default it is preferred.

 

 


3.6.1.3.5.2

   

Choosing the preferred work type

    Choose as the preferred work type a term that best represents the use or form of the work. Preferred work type may also refer indirectly to the materials and technique (e.g., engraving (visual work)).

    Avoid flagging as preferred any work type referring obliquely to the subject. These should be non-preferred (e.g., landscape (representation) would be non-preferred work type).

  • Consistency
    Within a given collection, be consistent in choosing preferred work types. For example, if you have two panel paintings that are altarpieces of similar design, materials, and date, do not label one with preferred work type altarpiece and the other with preferred work type panel painting.
       

 

3.6.1.4

 

 

Sequence Number (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of the appropriate sort order of the Work Types.

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled, integers 1 through n.

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

For items: Most CONA records for a single item have only 1 to 5 work types. If you need to add more than 10 for an item, consult your supervisor.

For groups: When recording a group of works, use as many work types as necessary to properly index the group.

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.5

 

 

RULES for Sequence Number

 

 

 

3.6.1.4.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Sequence Number

Required-default: Sequence Number is required. If there is only one work type, the default value is 1. If there are multiple work types, sort them in an appropriate sequence.

  • Number the work types in continuous sequence. Do not skip numbers.

  • The work type in sequence number 1 should be the subject default Preferred work type that will appear in labels.

 

 


3.6.1.4.5.2

   

How to sequence work types

  • Order of importance
  • In general, sequence the work types in order of importance.

    For any given set of records, be consistent in the numbering of work types.
  • Agreement with preferred title/name
    Given that the work type in position #1 will be the preferred work type, the one that is displayed in labels and other displays for the work, make sure that the preferred work type in position #1 is appropriate for the preferred title and the discriptive title, which are discussed in Titles and Names.

  • Chronological order

    For movable works: If there are historical work types, with movable works it is usually best to arrange the work types in reverse chronological order, with Current work types placed before Historical ones.

    For built works: With architecture, it is often traditional to sort work types with the original work type first.

    • Examples

    • [for a movable work, a landscape painted over a portrait]
    • 1. painting
      2. landscape
      3. portrait

      [for the built work Hagia Sophia, work types are sorted chronologically from earliest to present; the term in position #1 is also Preferred, will be the default to show in displays; the name of the work reflects its function as a church]
    • 1. church (building)
      2. mosque (building)
      3. museum (building)
  • Groups
    When a single record represents more than one work (e.g., for a group-level record), record the multiple work types in the order of importance or frequency of occurrence within the group.

    The first work type, also the preferred, should be a broad term referring to the bulk of items in the group, if possible.

    • Example
    • [for a group of works, order represents frequency of representation within the group]
    • 1. architectural drawings (visual works)
      2. axonometric projections (images)
      3. plans (orthographic projections)
      4. working drawings
      5. correspondence
      6. photographs

   

 

 

3.6.1.5

 

 

Historical Flag (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of whether the work type is current or historical.

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list.

current
historical
both
not applicable
undetermined

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

Given that the use and form of a work may change over time, it is necessary to flag historical work types, if appropriate.

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.5

 

 

RULES for Historical Flag

 

 

 

3.6.1.5.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Historical Flag

Required: Historical flag is required. The default value should be current. If this is not appropriate, choose an appropriate value.

   

3.6.1.5.5.2

   

How to choose historical flag

    Choose appropriate values based on the following definitions:

  • not applicable or undetermined
    Do not use these values. N/A (not applicable) or undetermined are used for guide terms and as a default for data that is loaded lacking indication of catalog level.

  • current
    Use when the work type is currently in effect for the work.

  • historical
    Use for historical work types, as when the form or purpose of a work has changed over time.

  • both
    Use only in rare circumstances. This indicates a work type having been in effect, then another work type was in effect, and now the original work type is again in effect. An example would be an 18th-century church in Russia, that was then used as a school under the Soviet Union, but is now again used as a church (its use as a church is both historical and current).

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.6

 

 

Dates for Work Type

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.1

 

 

Definition
Dates delimiting when the work type is or was applicable.

  • Example

  • Display Date: 9th century
    Start Date:
    800     End Date: 899

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.2

 

 

Fields

  • 1. Display Date: A free-text field to express nuances of the date to the user; it is indexed by the two indexing fields representing the Start and End Dates implied in the free-text date.

  • 2. Start Date: The exact or estimated earliest year implied in the Display Date.

  • 3. End Date: The exact of estimated latest year implied in the Display Date.

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.3

 

 

Values
Display Date is a free-text field. It may include Unicode characters and numbers.

  • Start Date and End Date must contain numbers representing valid years, validated by VCS. Dates BCE are indicated with negative numbers.

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.4

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.5

 

 

Discussion

If a work has had mutliple work types over time, this date is useful in establishing when the work served a particular function or purpose.

Dates may be estimated or approximate; for example, it may only be known that a work had a certain function in the 18th century, but not precisely in which years it was used for the function.

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.6

 

 

RULES for Dates for Work Type

 

 

 

3.6.1.6.6.1

 

 

Minimum requirements

Optional: Record an appropriate Display Date, Start Date, and End Date for the Work Type.

 

 


3.6.1.6.6.2

   

How to record dates for Work Type

  • Include dates as indicated based on authoritative sources.

  • If you enter data in any of the three date fields, you must enter data in all three of the date fields.

  • Always index years in the proleptic Gregorian calendar in the start and end date fields. Dates in other calendars may be referenced in the display date.

 

 

    • Examples

    • Display Date: from 500 BCE
      Start Date: -500   End Date: 9999

    • Display Date: 1993
      Start Date: 1993   End Date: 1993

    • Display Date: before 1652
      Start Date: 1500   End Date: 1652

    • Display Date: 1842-1896
      Start Date: 1842   End Date: 1896

    • Display Date:17th century
      Start Date: 1600   End Date: 1699

   

 

3.6.1.6.6.3

   

Display Date

  • State only what is known
    If a precise span of dates is known, state it. Where ambiguity exists, use natural word order to clearly state what is known (and only what is known; do not surmise). Follow the style of existing display dates.

   
  • Be objective
    Express all information in a neutral tone. Do not write from a subjective or biased point of view, even if your source expresses a fact in a subjective way. See the discussion of this topic in chapter 3.4 Descriptive Note.

  • Punctuation
    Do not use full sentences; do not end the display date with a period or any other punctuation. If the Display Date could be ambiguous because it contains more than one phrase, separate the phrases with a semi-colon for clarity.

  • Capitalization and abbreviation
    Do not capitalize words other than proper nouns or period names. Avoid abbreviations, except ca. (for circa), the numbers in century or dynasty designations (e.g., 17th century), and BCE and CE.

  • Calendar in Display Date
    Display Dates should generally be listed by reference to years in the proleptic Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar produced by extending the Gregorian calendar to dates preceding its official introduction.

  • Span of years
    If a precisely delimited span of dates is applicable, list the beginning year of the span first, followed by the end of the span, with the years separated by a hyphen. Include all digits for both years in a span; for example, with four-digit years, do not abbreviate the second year (e.g., 1921-1924, not 1921-24).

    • Caveat: Do not state specific dates in the Display Date if there is broadly defined information, ambiguity, or uncertainty. For example, instead of 1500-1599, use 16th century if that is what is meant.

   
  • BCE in Display Dates
    Dates before the year 1 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar should be indicated as Before Common Era, which should be abbreviated BCE. Dates BCE should be indexed with negative numbers in Start and End Dates (see below).

  • Uncertain dates
    If a date is uncertain, use a broad or vague designation, in accordance with common art historical practice.

  • Acceptable scope of information in the Display Date
    Ideally, the display date should refer, explicitly or implicitly, to a time period or date associated with the Work Type. In some cases, Display Date may be used to record unusual or important information about the work type (such as the circumstances of the items use with this function). However, dates should be implicit, because if you record a Display Date, Start and End Dates are required.

   

 

3.6.1.6.6.4

 

 

Start Date and End Date

  • Delimiting the span
    Record years that delimit the span of time when the work type was relevant, as referenced in the Display Date.

    If the years are uncertain (as when a qualifier such as ca. is used in the Event display date), calculate approximate years to be used for Start and End Dates for indexing. These indexing dates should represent the broadest possible span of time represented by the display date; it is better to delimit the span too broadly than too narrowly.

    • Start Date typically should represent any year earlier than the End Date. In rare cases, the start date and end date may be the same year.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Do not use punctuation
    Express years without commas or other punctuation. An exception is the hyphen, which is used to express negative numbers (dates BCE).

  • Gregorian calendar
    Dates must be expressed in the proleptic Gregorian calendar, which is the Gregorian calendar projected back in time before it came into existence.

  • Ongoing relevancy of work type
    For a work type having ongoing relevancy, use the value 9999 as end date.

  • Month and day
    If a specific month and day are referenced in the Display Date, index with the year in Start and End Dates. For the display date, the preferred syntax is day, month, year with no punctuation. The alternative syntax -- month, day, comma, year -- is found in many legacy records.

  • Dates BCE
    Express dates BCE by negative numbers, using a hyphen before the number. Do not use commas or any other punctuation.

  • Estimating Start and End Dates
    Use available information to estimate Start and End Dates. In many cases, the years will be approximate. When in doubt, it is better to estimate too broad a span rather than too narrow a span. See Appendix B: Dates for approximate dates of historic events and entities.

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.7

 

 

Classification (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.1

 

 

Definition
Placement of a work of art or architecture within a classification scheme that groups other, similar works together on the basis of similar characteristics.

  • Examples

  • architecture
    paintings
    sculpture
    graphic arts
    decorative arts
    textiles
    costume
    tools
    furniture
    ceramics
    European art
    Asian art
    Pre-Columbian art

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by an extensible list. In CONA, the list may grow regularly through contributions, given that it is often the local contributor's choice in assigning classification.

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

Classification terms are used to place a work of art or architecture in a useful organizational scheme that has been devised by a repository, collector, or other person or entity. Formal classification systems are used to relate a work of art or architecture to broader, narrower, and related objects. Classification terms group similar works together according to varying criteria.

Kinds of classification schemes
This field generally does not include classification strictly by style, period, or subject, since these attributes are accommodated in their own fields. However, some repositories classify their collections by period or geographic region (e.g., American art).

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.5

 

 

RULES for Classification

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Classification

Required: Classification is required. Record an appropriate value from the controlled list.

 

 


     

For contributions: As with all CONA fields, do not change the classification value if it is contributed by a repository.

 

 

 

3.6.1.7.5.2

 

 

How to record Classification term

  • Singular vs. plural
    Classification terms are usually plural nouns. This rule differs from rules for work types, which are the singular noun form for single items and the plural for multple items cataloged in the same CONA record.

   

 

   
  • Broad designations
    Ideally, classification terms are broad designations and work type is a specific term describing the object at hand.
    • Example

    • Catalog Level: item
      Classification: paintings
      Classification: European art
      Work Type: panel painting
      Work Type: predella
    However, it is possible that classification and work type may be the same words (e.g., Classification: paintings, Work Type: painting (visual work)), although Classification is not controlled by the AAT, as is work type.

   

 

3.6.1.7.5.3

   

List of Classification Terms

   

 

 

 

 

Classification is an extensible list subject to frequent additions. As of this writing, the following are the classification terms in CONA.

ID     Classification Term
20001 unknown
20002 not applicable
20003 miscellaneous
20005 mixed classification
20106 albums
20110 archaeological materials
20111 architecture
20113 arms and armor
20121 assemblages
20151 animal husbandry
20161 agricultural
20181 astronomy / space
20215 basketry
20216 books
20217 blocks / plates
20319 calligraphy
20321 ceremonial
20322 ceramics
20324 costume / clothing
20371 carpentry
20381 crafts
20425 decorative arts
20426 drawings
20491 digital / computer
20492 documents / archives
20531 engineering
20591 environmental art
20631 film / video
20635 furniture
20681 food service / processing
20736 geography
20737 glass art
20738 graphic arts
20831 household accessories
20881 history
20940 implements
20981 interior design
21047 jewelry / adornment
21281 landscaping / gardening
21282 law / philosophy
21321 mixed media works
21349 manuscripts
21350 media arts
21353 metalworks
21356 miniatures
21358 mosaics
21359 murals
21360 musical instruments / equipment
21381 machines
21382 vehicles / automotive
21391 minerals / rocks
21431 needlework / sewing
21465 natural history
21667 paintings
21668 performance / installation art
21669 personal accessories
21670 photographs
21672 prints

ID     Classification Term
21681 paperwork crafts
21691 plants / forestry
21976 sculpture
21981 science
21991 sports
22031 toys
22079 textiles
22080 tools / implements
22091 toiletries
22181 utilitarian items
22211 vessels
22221 visual surrogates
28104 aboriginal art
28105 African art
28107 American art
28108 Anatolian art
28109 Ancient art
28112 Arctic Peoples art
28114 Asian art
28157 British art
28158 Byzantine art
28210 Canadian art
28211 Central American art
28213 Chinese art
28214 Contemporary art
28257 Dutch art
28318 Egyptian art
28319 Etruscan art
28320 European art
28352 First Nations art
28353 Flemish art
28354 French art
28416 German art
28419 Greek art
28451 Indian art
28452 Iron Age art
28453 Islamic art
28454 Israelite art
28455 Italian art
28481 Japanese art
28518 Korean art
28611 Medieval art
28612 Mesoamerican art
28614 Mexican art
28615 Middle Eastern art
28617 Modern art
28651 Native American art
28652 Near Eastern art
28653 Netherlandish art
28654 North American art
28716 Oceanic art
28751 Pre-Columbian art
28761 prehistoric work
28813 Roman art
28855 Russian art
28855 Scandinavian art
28857 South American art
28858 Spanish art
28901 tribal art

   

 

 

3.6.1.8

 

 

Preferred Flag (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of whether the Classification is preferred or non-preferred.

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list.

preferred
non-preferred

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.4

 

 

Discussion

 

 

The preferred classification term may appear in labels. Therefore, choose an appropriately broad term, and apply usage of classification terms consistenly.

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.5

 

 

RULES for Preferred Flag

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Preferred Flag

Required: Preferred Flag is required. Record an appropriate value from the controlled list.

 

 

 

3.6.1.8.5.2

 

 

How to use preferred flag

    Choose as the preferred Classification term the one that is best displayed as a default with information about the work.

    Be consistent in your choice of preferred classification term within a given set of data.

   

 

 

3.6.1.9

 

 

Creator Display (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.1

 

 

Definition
The name, brief biographical information, and roles (if necessary) of the named or anonymous individuals or corporate bodies responsible for the design, production, manufacture, or alteration of the work, presented in a syntax suitable for display to the end-user and including any necessary indications of uncertainty, ambiguity, and nuance. If there is no known creator, make a reference to the presumed culture or nationality of the unknown creator.

  • Examples

  • Vincent van Gogh (Dutch painter, draftsman, 1853-1890)

  • unknown Etruscan

  • Acheloos Painter (Attic vase painter, active ca. 525-ca. 500 BCE)

  • attributed to Kicking Bear (Native American chief and painter, ca. 1846-1904)

  • Umetada (Japanese metalworker and swordsmith, 1558-1631)

  • Carlhian et Cie (French design firm, established 1867)

  • Krishna Hawlaji Ara (Indian painter, 1914-1985)

  • Peter King (English draftsman, 17th-18th centuries), with additions attributed to unknown English draftsman in the office of Nicholas Hawksmoor (English architect, 1661-1736)

  • Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish painter and draftsman, 1577-1640) after original by Titian (Venetian painter and draftsman, ca. 1488-1576)

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.2

 

 

Values
Free text. Use Unicode characters and numbers. Do not use special characters or line breaks.

For the sake of consistency, best practice would dictate using the natural order form of the preferred name and biography of the linked ULAN artist, if possible.

However, the preferences of the contributors are accommodated: If contributors have other rules for display, or if they prefer a different name, they should enter their preferred display here.

This field is repeatable and linked to the contributor identity. Multiple contributors may express the creator display in different ways, and even naming different artists.

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.4

 

 

Discussion
Creators may be named individuals and corporate bodies, or they can be anonymous hands identified as individuals (e.g., Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altar (Dutch, German, or Italian painter and illuminator, active 1480-1510)), or generically by cultural (e.g., unknown Dakota) or national designations (e.g., unknown Benin). Include indications of nuance, uncertainty, and ambiguity as necessary (e.g., probably by Gobelins (French craftsmen's factory, established in 1662 in Paris, closed in 20th century)).

The creation of a work of art or architecture can be a complex process. If appropriate, record individuals and corporate bodies even if they are not artists per se. These include all persons or groups of persons who contributed to the production, manufacture, or alteration of the work. For example, the patron of ancient architecture should often be included because it is likely that he contributed directly or indirectly to the design of a work he commissioned. Important publishers of European prints, calligraphers of Chinese paintings, and other non-artists should be included.

A work may be the result of a series of activities, each of which was the responsibility of a separate individual or group, as for example, with a print for which a draftsman, etcher, and publisher are known (e.g., designed by D. A. Alexander (British, 19th century), engraved and published by William Daniell (British, 1769-1837)).

Furthermore, a work may have been altered repeatedly during its history, as with an African mask that is ritually repainted, or a work of architecture that is created over a long period of time with designs by multiple architects.

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.5

 

 

RULES for Creator Display

 

 

 

3.6.1.9.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Creator Display

Required: It is required to record the the individual, group of individuals, or corporate body responsible for the creation, design, production, manufacture, or alteration of the work. In order to identify the creator unambiguously to the end user, it is recommended to also provide biographical information about each person or group responsible for the creation of the work.

Even if the name of the creator is unknown, it is required to enter a value in this field. See Unknown creators below.

 

 


3.6.1.9.5.2    

How to record Creator Display

  • Form and syntax
    List information in the following order:
    The preferred name in natural order, nationality, life role, and life dates or dates of activity.

    • Example

    • Creator display: Walker Evans (American photographer, 1903-1975)

    If necessary for clarity, precede this string with a role or a reference to the process (optional, as necessary for clarity; e.g., designer or designed by). Express ambiguity and nuance as necessary.

    • Example
    • Creator display: design by Michelangelo (Italian, 1475-1564), executed by unknown carpenter, probably Italian; alterations by Giacomo della Porta (Italian architect, 1532/1533-1602 or 1604) and Luigi Vanvitelli (Italian architect, 1700-1773)

 

 

 

 

 

  • Which name to use

    Preferred ULAN name: For this free-text creator display field, take the name from ULAN, to which the CONA record will be linked for indexing.

    For the creator display, use the natural order form of the ULAN preferred name, which will mean you are using the most commonly used name in authoritative scholoarly literature.

    Repository's choice: Alternatively, the repository or other contributor may use another form of a name for the person, if they prefer. However, be certain that this name form, or the inverted form of this name, is included in the indexed ULAN record, to allow retrieval of the work. If it is not there, add it to ULAN.

  • Biographical information
    After the name, include the nationality (or culture), a life role, and birth and death dates (e.g., Venetian painter, 1676-1730).

    Alternatively, the creator's life roles may be omitted (e.g., Venetian, 1676-1730). This option is preferred in some cases, to avoid confusion if the life role is not the same role as played by the artist in the creation of the work at hand.

   

 

   
  • Including the role regarding the work
    Clarify the specific role of the creator regarding the work if it will not be immediately apparent to the end user.

    This role differs from life role (life roles are the most important professional roles that the creator held during his lifetime). As stated above, including a life role in the creator biography is optional.

    • Example
      [for an architectural drawing]
    • Creator Display: architect: Willoughby J. Edbrooke (American, 1843-1896); draftsman: Chauncey G. Graham (American, active 1890s)
  • Including extent
    Record the extent, that is the part of a work contributed by a particular creator, if necessary for clarity (e.g., design, execution, predella, main panel, figures). Index the extent in Related Person Extent, see below.

    • Example
    • Creator Display: Marco Ricci (Venetian painter, 1676-1730), figures by Sebastiano Ricci (Venetian painter, 1659-1734))
  • Including qualifier
    Record an attribution qualifer when the attribution is uncertain, is in dispute, or when there is a former attribution; clarify the attribution with a qualifier (e.g., attributed to, after, probably by, school of). Index the attribution qualifier in Related Person Qualifier, as described below.

    • Example
    • Creator Display: attributed to Kicking Bear (Native American chief and painter, ca. 1846-1904))

   

 

   
  • Multiple creators
    In many creative processes, there may be multiple creators involved. Examples include vase painting, printmaking, sculpture, architecture, and others. If multiple creators were involved in the creation of the work or group of works, record all of them if possible.

    If there are too many to record them all, record the most important or most prominent creators. If the role of the creator could be unclear or ambiguous to the user -- as when the creators contributed differently to the creation of the work -- clearly explain roles and extent.
    • Example
      [for an ancient Greek vessel, the potter and painter were different people]
    • Creator display: potter was Euphronios (Attic, active ca. 520-ca. 470 BCE), painting attributed to Onesimos (Attic, active ca. 500-ca. 475 BCE)
  • For groups of works
    For multiple creators for a group-level record, or for a collection, album, or set having multiple creators, list the most prevalent or most important in Creator Display. Index all of the creators, if possible, in Related People.

    If items are cataloged separately and linked to the group-level record, the group-level record may indicate simply Creator display: various makers.

    For archival groups, include administrative originators.

    • Example
      Creator display: architects: Werner E. Noffke (Canadian, 1878-1964) and George W. Northwood (Canadian, 1878-1959); administrative origin: Office of Werner E. Noffke
  • Anonymous creators
    For anonymous creators, record an appellation and biography that have been established, ideally the preferred display biography from ULAN. An "anonymous creator" is defined as a creator whose hand is identified and oeuvre is established, but whose name is not known (e.g., Master of the Dido Panels). This type of creator is distinguished from unknown creators, discussed below.
  • Unknown creators
    If the name of a creator is not known, and the identity of a hand and its oeuvre are not established, use a generic identification to refer to the culture in which the work was created.

    Unknown creators are common, particularly in certain disciplines, including ancient art, Asian art, African art, aboriginal art, folk art, decorative arts, and Western art dating from the sixteenth century and earlier.

    Do not leave the Creator fields blank: If the creator is unknown and the identity of his or her hand is not established, use a generic identification with which all unattributed works by unknown creators with similar attributes may be associated.

    For an unknown creator, record the culture that produced the work (e.g., unknown Shoshone). These values are also found in ULAN, in the Unknown People by Culture facet.
  • Patrons, clients, donors
    Include patrons, clients, donors, sponsors, and others associated with the creation and production of the work, as appropriate. In certain disciplines, the creator name is typically unknown, and it is the patron who is named.

    For the distinctions between patron, sponsor, client, and donor, check the scope notes for these AAT terms.

    • Examples

    • Creator Display: architect: unknown Indian; patron: Shahjahan, Emperor of India (Mughal emperor, ca. 1592-1666)

    • Creator Display: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (American, established 1939), for client Sears Roebuck and Company (American retail company, incorporated 1906)
  • Publishers
    For published works, such as prints or books, the publisher should be listed among the creators, if known.

    • Example
    • Creator Display: Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760-1849); published by Nishimura Eijudo (Japanese, 19th century)
  • Architecture
    For built works, include the architects and firms involved in the design and creation, if known.

    Constuction: People other than the architect, including other people or firms involved in the construction of the works may be included. It is possible to omit the engineers and constuction company from the creator display, but include them among the indexed creators, if known. Roles should be indexed, as discussed under Related Person Role below.

    • Example
    • Creator Display: designed by Eero Saarinen (American, 1910-1961); posthumously, construction was supervised by firm of Eero Saarinen & Associates (American architectural firm, 1950-1961)

      Related Person/Corp. Body: Saarinen, Eero (American architect, designer, 1910-1961)    Role: architect

      Related Person/Corp. Body: Eero Saarinen & Associates (American architectural firm, active 1950-1961)    Role: architectural firm

      Related Person/Corp. Body: Repp and Mundt, Inc. (American construction firm, contemporary)    Role: construction firm
  • Ownership
    Occupants or owners of a built work may be included here.

    • Example
    • Creator Display: designed by William Atkinson, (British architect, ca. 1773-1839), and Edward Blore (British architect, 1787-1879); owned by Scott Walker (Scottish novelist and designer, 1777-1832)

    For ownership history of movable works, generally record them in the Provenance note field. Current repositories of movable works are recorded in Location.
  • Authors
    Scribes and calligraphers are considered artists, listed here with illuminators and all other creators for the work.

    For manuscripts, books, and other works having textual content, where the author is not the same person as the scribe, best practice would dictate making a separate record for the literary work in the CONA IA; the author ideally would be linked to the literary work rather than to the physical work being cataloged. The literary work should then be linked to the physical work through Specific Depicted Subject (which, contrary to what the field name suggests, includes subjects other than those actually depicted).

    However, where it is not possible to make a separate record for the literary work, the author may be included here.

    • Example
      [if necessary, the author and translator may appear here, even though they did not physically create this item]
    • Creator Display: illuminator: Master of the Jardin de vertueuse consolation and assistant; scribe: Jean du Quesne; translator: Vasco da Lucena; author: Rufus, Quintus Curtius (Roman historian, 1st century)
  • Artists of works depicted
    If a work depicts another work, such as when a photographer-artist photographs an architect's work, best practice would dictate making a separate record for the work depicted, and linking the two works through Associative Relationships or Depicted Subjects.

    However, if it is not possible to make separate records, as when a repository is cataloging only its own works and cannot make separate records for related works outside its collection, the creator of the work depicted may be indicated in Creator Display and indexed in Related People. Another situation that may result in this solution is when the work depicted is a destroyed or lost work, although eventually a CONA record for the lost work should be added and linked.

    • Example

      [for a drawing of a lost sculpture; as of yet, there is no record for the lost sculpture in CONA, so the creator of the depicted work is listed here]
    • Creator Display: rendered by Eldora P. Lorenzini (American, 1910-1993); depicts work by Fray Andrés Garcia (Mexican cleric, sculptor, 18th century)

      Related Person/Corp.Body: Lorenzini, Eldora P. (American painter, 1910-1993)    Role: draftsman

      Related Person/Corp.Body: Garcia, Andrés, Fray (Mexican cleric, sculptor, 18th century)    Role: artist    Extent: work depicted

   

 

 

3.6.1.10

 

 

Preferred Flag (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.1

 

 

Definition
An indication whether the Creator Display is preferred or non-preferred for the work record.

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list.

preferred
non-preferred

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.4

 

 

Discussion
The Creator Display is repeatable, intended to allow variations of attribution by different contributors to the record.

A preferred creator display is required in order to provide a default value when creating results lists and other displays in CONA.

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.5

 

 

RULES for Preferred Flag

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Preferred Flag

Required-default: Preferred Flag is required. Record an appropriate value from the controlled list. If there is only one creator display, by default it is preferred.

Other than flagging the preferred creator display, which will appear first in a list of displays, there is no sort order for creator displays.

 

 

 

3.6.1.10.5.2

 

 

How to determine the preferred creator display

  • Vocabulary Program: If there is a Creator Display having contributor Vocabulary Program (VP), flag this display as preferred.

  • Repository: If there is no VP creator display, flag the creator display contributed by the repository of the work, if any.

  • No repository: For works of architecture and other work records contributed by others than the repository, a preferred flag should be assigned based on the reliability of the contributor or the chronological order in which the information was contributed to the record.

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.11

 

 

Contributor (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of the contributor of the Creator Display.

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list, derived from a file of contributor information held by the Vocabulary Program.

  • Examples

    AS-Academia Sinica
    CAA-AIIS
    GRISC
    IfM-SMB-PK
    MNM-TePapa
    Rijksmuseum

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.4

 

 

Discussion
An abbreviated form of the repository or institutional name, or initials, appear with the published CONA records. Full names and information for each contributor should be available to end users.

Contributor authority: The separate contributor authority contains a unique numeric code, brief name, and full name for each contributor.

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.5

 

 

RULES for Contributor

 

 

 

3.6.1.11.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Contributor
Contributor is required, but typically supplied when the data is created or loaded.

Change the contributor only when necessary.

The default value when entering information in VCS is VP (Getty Vocabulary Program).

 

 


3.6.1.11.5.2

   

Creating contributor identifications

  • Contributor identifications are created by the Vocabulary Program in consultation with the contributing institution.

    For editorial instructions regarding how to create a contributor identification, see Appendix D: Contributors.

    • Examples

    • ID: 10000250
      Brief: AS-Academia Sinica
      Full: Academia Sinica (Academia Sinica; Nankang, Taiwan)

    • ID: 10000238
      Brief: CAA-AIIS
      Full: Center for Art & Archaeology (CAA) Archives, American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) (New Delhi, India)

    • ID: 10000016
      Brief: GRISC
      Full: Getty Research Institute, Special Collections Cataloging, The Getty Center (Los Angeles, California)

    • ID: 10000232
      Brief: IfM-SMB-PK
      Full: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Berlin, Germany)

    • ID: 10000114
      Brief: MNM-TePapa
      Full: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Wellington, New Zealand)

    • ID: 10000257
      Brief: Rijksmuseum
      Full: Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)

   

 

 

3.6.1.12

 

 

Related Person / Corporate Body (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.1

 

 

Definition
Any people or corporate bodies important to the work, and thus requiring indexing, particularly any people or corporate bodies related to the creation, design, execution, production, or commission of a work of art or architecture and its components, including all those responsible for the creation of the work or items in a collection or archival group.

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a link to ULAN.

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.4

 

 

Discussion
Indexing the people and corporate bodies associated with the creation, patronage, and alteration of the work is critical for research and access of the work or group.

Linking to the ULAN allows characeristics and variant names of the people and corporate bodies to be used to access the works or groups.

The characteristics of creators, particularly their names, dates, places of activity, and national and cultural associations, are primary tools that researchers use to locate corpora for further study, and they must be accessible through the authority.

The fields that define the identity of the creator are primary access points for the work of art. Fields in ULAN should be accessible in combination with other fields in the CONA record, those that pertain strictly to the work.

A researcher may wish to identify all works of a particular type created by a named artist, such as all monotypes by Degas where the subject is dancers, or all works that are the product of a particular culture during a particular time period, such as "all carvings dating from 950 to 1000 CE where the creator has culture = Mayan."

Corporate bodies may have hierarchical administrative structures in ULAN, and access to CONA should accommodate this. For example, works may be created by Feature Animation , which is a part of Disney Studios, which in turn is part of Walt Disney Company.

Furthermore, corporate bodies and other groups of individuals may be related to single individuals, as a workshop or architectural firm should be related to its members. Groups of individuals or corporate bodies may be related (non-hierarchically) to other corporate bodies; for example, the architectural firm Adler and Sullivan succeeded Dankmar Adler and Company. Likewise, single individuals may be related to other single individuals, as a master is related to a student, or a father is related to a daughter. All such relationshipsin ULAN should be accessible for retrieval of works in CONA.

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.5

 

 

RULES for Related Person / Corporate Body

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Related Person / Corporate Body

Required: It is required to link to at least one creator in ULAN.

 

 

 

3.6.1.12.5.2

 

 

Which creators to index

  • All named people in Creator Display
    Link to all named artists, patrons, and firms noted in the Creator Display. If there are multiple creators, link to all of them.

  • Additional people may be indexed
    Link to any important patrons, firms, or others integrally involved in the creation of the work.

    In the Creator Display, it is possible that only the most important or most prominent creators and patrons will be included. However, all creators, patrons, and firms associated with the creation of the work should be linked here, even if they are omitted in the Creator Display. This is particularly relevant for groups of works and architecture.

  • Groups of works
    For groups, sets, or collections, index all creators associated with a group-level record.

    For groups, administrative originators should be linked here.

    If items of the group are cataloged separately and linked to the group-level record, the creators do not necessarily need to be indexed in the group-level record as well. You may link to various artists [ULAN 500204623].
  • Owners
    Occupants or owners of built works may be linked here. For movable works, important previous owners may be recorded here, but a provenance statement should be recorded in the Provenance free text field.
  • Unknown artists
    For unknown artists, an appropriate designation should be made in Creator Display, and linked to ULAN, in the Unknown People by Culture facet (e.g., unknown Aztec).

    If even the creator's culture is unknown, you may link to unknown [ULAN 500125274].
  • Disputed attributions
    If scholars disagree about the creator of a work, index all possible creators. Use Qualifier (discussed below) to clarify. In the Creator Display or the Descriptive Note fully explain the controversy.

 

 


3.6.1.12.5.3

   

Linking to artists and others in ULAN

  • Adding records to ULAN
    Where the creator or other person or corporate body is not yet added to ULAN, a record should be made in ULAN and linked to the CONA record.

    This is generally accomplished as a separate step in the batch loading process for large contributions.

    Alternatively, if the person or corporate body is not in ULAN, add it as a minimal stub record in ULAN and link to it. (Stub records will be processed by Vocabulary Program editors as a separate project.)

    If a contributor uses a variant name for the person or corporate body not yet added to the ULAN record, it must be added to the ULAN record.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Homographs
    Be very careful in linking to people and corporate body records in ULAN. There are many homographs and people with similar names in ULAN.

    If you are unsure which of several is the correct person or corporate body, do not guess. Take time to clarify as necessary; make sure that you link to the ULAN record having the correct name and biography.

   

 

 

3.6.1.13

 

 

Related Person Role (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.1

 

 

Definition
The role or activity performed by the person or corporate body in relation to the work, usually regarding the conception, design, or production of a work.

  • Examples

  • artist
    painter
    designer
    supervising architect
    architectural firm
    printmaker
    engraver
    muralist
    potter
    engraver
    publisher
    patron
    originator (administrative)
    engineer

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a link to AAT. Use the Agents Facet. [NB: As of this writing, the values are controlled by an extensible list or Roles connected to ULAN, although it is anticipated this list will be linked directly to AAT in future.]

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.4

 

 

Discussion
Distinguishing the specific role played by the artist or architect is critical, particularly when multiple individuals or corporate bodies participated in the creation of the work.

Record the most specific role of the creator, if known. The level of specificity may vary depending upon the type of work. For example, the role of the artist who designed and executed a sculpture may be simply sculptor, but a print may have been created by multiple individuals whose specific roles are listed, including a designer, engraver, and publisher.

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.5

 

 

RULES for Related Person Role

 

 

 

3.6.1.13.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Related Person Role

Required: Related Person Role is required for any link to ULAN. For Role, record an appropriate value for Role from the AAT Agents Facet.

 

 


3.6.1.13.5.2

   

How to choose the creator role

  • Singular vs. plural
    For an individual person, use roles expressed in the singular (e.g., architect, painter). For corporate bodies, use a role that describes the entity (e.g., architectural firm, studio) or that is expressed in the plural (e.g., painters).

  • Specificity of role
    Use the most specific role known.

    If a specific role is not known, use a more general role. For example if you do not know that a creator performed the specific role of menuisier (which is a type of joiner), list a more general role, such as furniture worker.

    If even this more general role is not known, use the most general role applicable for the creator, such as artist.

  • Definitions of roles
    To determine the meaning of the role, consult the Scope Note in the AAT record.

   

 

 

3.6.1.14

 

 

Related Person Extent

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.1

 

 

Definition
The part of a work contributed by a particular creator or otherwise relevant to the indexed person or corporate body.

  • Examples

    undetermined
    design
    execution
    additions

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by an extensible list based on AAT terms.

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.4

 

 

Discussion
When more than one artist or architect contributed to the creation of a work, it is recommended to use Extent to index the part of the work on which each artist or architect worked.

For example, individual artists may be responsible for the design, decoration, marquetry, bronze mounts (design, casting, gilding), and porcelain plaques for a piece of furniture (e.g., for the late eighteenth-century Secrétaire by Martin Carlin in the Getty Museum). A single painting may be the work of more than one artist, as when both Marco and Sebastiano Ricci painted Landscape with Classical Ruins and Figures; Sebastiano was responsible for the figures and Marco for the monuments and landscape. One architect may be responsible for designing the body of a basilica, while another architect designed the dome many years later.

Note that scholars may have differing opinions about which artists executed which portions of a work of art, as is the case with Herbert and Jan van Eyck's collaboration on the Ghent altarpiece. Uncertainty should be noted in the Creator Display or more fully explained in the Descriptive Note.

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.5

 

 

RULES for Related Person Extent

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Related Person Extent

Optional: If appropriate, record a value from the controlled list.

 

 

 

3.6.1.14.5.2

 

 

List of Related Person Extent terms

Related Person Extent is an extensible list subject to frequent additions. As of this writing, the following are the Related Person Extent terms in CONA.

    Code  Extent term
    30001 undetermined
    30002 not applicable
    30005 design
    30006 execution
    30101 addition
    30102 revision
    30103 retouching
    30111 ancillary work
    30201 base / stand
    30501 embroidery
    30502 engraving
    30503 decoration
    30601 figures
    30603 furnishings
    30631 grounds
    31601 predella
    31602 print
    31603 negative
    31801 restoration
    31802 earlier design
    31901 sculpture
    31902 carving
    31903 cast
    35001 work depicted

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.15

 

 

Related Person Qualifier

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.1

 

 

Definition
An expression of the certainty with which a work can be attributed to a known person or corporate body, used when the attribution is uncertain, is in dispute, when there is more than one creator, when there is a former attribution, or when the attribution otherwise requires explanation.

  • Examples

  • attributed to
    workshop of
    circle of

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by an extensible list, based on AAT terms.

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.4

 

 

Discussion
It is optional, but recommended, to index the attribution to a given creator when it has been noted in the Creator Display. There are several qualifiers that are traditionally used in the discipline of art history, and each carries its own tradition of usage in particular situations. Apply qualifiers in compliance with the way the particular attribution is expressed by the repository and scholars.

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.5

 

 

RULES for Related Person Qualifier

 

 

 

3.6.1.15.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Related Person Qualifier

Optional: Record an appropriate value from the controlled list, based on the definitions below.

Rely upon attribution qualifiers as supplied by the repository of the work or other authoritative sources. Do not guess or make judgment calls without warrant.

 

 


3.6.1.15.5.2

   

List of Related Person Qualifier terms
Related Person Qualifier is an extensible list. As of this writing, the following are the qualifier terms. Choose terms based on the definitions supplied below.

>>No attribution qualifier
Using no attribution qualifier indicates that the repository and most or all scholars believe that the attribution to the named artist is certain. The same holds true for unknown artists who are identified by culture or nationality (e.g., unknown Celtic); if there is no attribution qualifier, the attribution to this culture is deemed secure.

>>Attributions to a known creator
Use one of the following qualifiers to express uncertainty when the attribution of a work to a known creator or architect is in question or to note a former attribution. The following may also be used for attributions to unknown artists (e.g., attributed to unknown Celtic).

attributed to: Use to express minor to moderate uncertainty regarding the attribution to a known artist, architect, or corporate body, as when the work's provenance, style, or physical characteristics strongly suggest a given creator, but the attribution cannot be validated with absolute certainty (e.g., attributed to Frans Hals (Dutch painter, ca. 1581-1666)).

formerly attributed to: Use to refer to an attribution that had been accepted in the past, but is no longer generally held to be valid (e.g., formerly attributed to Yan Wengui (Chinese, active ca. 970-1030)).

probably by: Use to express minor uncertainty regarding the attribution, generally indicating a slightly stronger probability than attributed to.

possibly by: Use to express significant uncertainty regarding attribution, indicating notably greater uncertainty than attributed to.

>>Unknown creators linked to a known creator
If the identity of a creator is unknown but he or she has worked closely with a known creator on the work, use an attribution qualifier to associate the work with the name of a known creator whose oeuvre is stylistically similar or otherwise related to the work at hand. In such cases, link to the known creator ULAN, but qualify the known creator's name with one of the qualifiers as described below.

Caveat: Do not use these qualifiers when the name of the creator of the work being cataloged is known or when an anonymous appellation is used for its creator (i.e., anonymous creators are those whose hand and oeuvre are known, but whose name alone is unknown, e.g., Master of the Caslav Panel). When named or anonymous creators (as opposed to unknown creators) have relationships to other artists, these relationships should be expressed in ULAN, not here in the Work record. For example, the Isaac Master worked in the workshop of Giotto. This working relationship surrounding the workshop should be recorded in the ULAN record for Giotto and the Isaac Master, NOT in work records by these creators.

>>Working directly with a known creator
Use one of the following qualifiers to indicate authorship by an unknown individual working directly for the named master, probably under his or her supervision. The distinction between workshop, studio, office, and atelier typically depends upon the historical period in question and the type of work being produced.

workshop of: Use for a work by an unknown artist or architect working under a master's name, generally in a system of apprenticeship common from ancient times through the mid-17th century (e.g., workshop of Gislebertus).

studio of: Use for a work by an unknown artist working for a named artist in a system common after the 16th century, when master artists took on pupils who were learning to be artists rather than apprentices who were learning a trade.

office of: Use for a work by an unknown architect working for a named architect in the 18th century through the present, when the group of people working for the architect calls itself an office (e.g., office of ChristopherWren).

atelier of: Use for a work by an unknown artist working for a named studio that called itself an atelier, generally reserved for those studios located in France, or in Britain after the 18th century.

assistant to: Use for a work by an unknown artist or architect working as an assistant to a named artist or architect whose staff is relatively small in number and do not call themselves a studio or an office. Also use for an assistant who worked in a studio or office, but in a special, close relationship to the named artist or architect.

pupil of: Use for a work by an unknown artist working under a named artist, where the relationship is apparently close, probably a student/teacher relationship; implies the unknown artist is probably younger or less experienced than the named artist; synonymous with student of.

associate of: Use for a work by an unknown artist working with a named artist, where the relationship is between two peers rather than between a student and teacher.

manufactory of: Use for a work by an unknown artist working for a named manufactory or factory, which is typically larger than a studio or workshop, and typically produces porcelain, tapestries, furniture, and occasionally fine art.

>>Not working directly with a known creator
Use one of the following qualifiers to refer to an unknown artist in direct contact with the works of the named creator, and living at the same time or shortly after him or her, though not actually working in his or her studio.

follower of: Use for a work by an unknown artist or architect whose style is strongly influenced by the named artist or architect, and who is living at the same time as or shortly after the named artist, but is not necessarily his or her pupil (e.g., follower of Hokusai).

circle of: Use for a work by an unknown artist who appears to be associated with the named artist, he or she is living at the same time as the named artist, and probably had some contact with him or her, but not is necessarily his or her pupil.

school of: Use for a work by an artist or architect whose style is influenced by the named artist or architect or by the associates of the named artist, who is living at the same time or shortly after the named artist, but is not known to be a pupil or direct follower of the named artist (e.g., school of Rembrandt).

>>Influenced by a known creator
Use one of the following qualifiers to indicate an influence of (or an outright copy of) the style of the named master, but with the connotation that the named creator had little or nothing to do with the actual work at hand. The unknown creator need not necessarily be a contemporary of the named master (e.g., style of Raphael or copyist of Rodin).

style of: Use for a work by an unknown artist whose style is strongly under the influence of the style of the named master (e.g., style of Raphael).

after: Use for a work by an unknown artist who has created a copy of a known work of the named artist.

copyist of: Use for a work by an unknown artist whose style seems to be a deliberate copy of the style of the named artist, but when the work at hand is not a direct copy of a known work by the named artist (e.g., copyist of Rodin).

manner of: Use for a work by an unknown artist whose style or elements of whose style are somewhat close to the style of the named artist, but whose work does not seem to be a deliberate copy of the named artist, and who generally lived in a period after the named artist.

   

 

 

3.6.1.16

 

 

Creation Display Date (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.1

 

 

Definition
A concise description of the date or range of dates associated with the creation, design, production, presentation, performance, construction, or alteration of the work or its components, presented in a syntax suitable for display to the end-user and including any necessary indications of uncertainty, ambiguity, and nuance.

  • Examples

  • 1889
    1766-1782
    12 December 2010
    Christmas 1472
    before 952 BCE
    1940-1949
    ca. 1537
    late 4th century
    17th century
    2nd quarter 14th century
    designed 1911, executed 1942-1948
    reign of Rameses II (1279–1213 BCE)
    An II de la Republique (1794)
    illuminated 11th century, binding 12th century

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.2

 

 

Values
Free text. Use Unicode characters and numbers.

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.4

 

 

Discussion
Use this field to record dates associated with the design, creation, publication, maintenance, or other activity associated with the making of the work.

For lost or destroyed works, you may mention the date of destruction of the work here. However, this date is not indexed with Creation Start and End Dates. The date of destruction is indexed in Events.

Creation Display Date is not repeatable, although the associated indexing fields are repeatable. In the display, include dates of creation and other references to date. The display date allows for the expression of nuance and uncertainty common in art history scholarship.

Dates of creation may be absolute, when reliable documentation or an inscribed date notes the date of creation.

Dates of creation may be relative, for example a work can be positioned within the oeuvre of an artist, a patron's reign, or culture. Relative dates require an estimated date or span of years.

Dates may be estimated to a year, range of years, or century. Expressions of uncertainty and nuance should be included, as described below.

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.5

 

 

RULES for Creation Display Date

 

 

 

3.6.1.16.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Creation Display Date

Required: Record a year, a span of years, or a phrase that describes the specific or approximate date associated with the creation, design, production, presentation, performance, construction, or alteration of the work or its components. Include nuance and expressions of uncertainty, as necessary.

When the exact date of the creation of a work unknown or uncertain, record an expression of approximate dates, whether a period of a few years or a broad period.

It is required to also index this display with Start Date and End Date.

 

 


3.6.1.16.5.2

   

How to record display date

  • Specificity
    Record the date with the greatest level of specificity known, but expressed in a way that conveys the correct level of uncertainty or ambiguity to the end user (e.g., ca. 1820). See also Uncertainty below.

    Year of completion: Record the year of completion, if known (it is relatively rare that a work will be begun and completed in one sitting, such as a painting en plein air). Dates inscribed by artists on paintings or sculptures generally are the date of completion.

    Span of years: Alternatively, for works such as architecture that are created over a period of time, record the span of time during which the work was constructed.

    Other expressions of date: The date will be assumed to be the year of completion or a span indicating the period of creation or construction. If the date expressed is not the year of completion or a span of time during which creation took place, or if the date may otherwise may be ambiguous, explain it. For example, the dates for Lorenzo Ghiberti's bronze doors for the Baptistry in Florence may be expressed as in the example below.

    • Example
    • Creation Display Date: completed 1403-1424, chosen in a design competition in 1401

 

 

 

 

 

  • Multiple dates
    When it is known that different activities in the creative process took place at different times, indicate this.
    Indicate when the date of design and production are separated by a period of time (e.g., designed 1743, cast 1751).

    Dates of a photographic negative and the prints made from it can differ widely (e.g., negatives, such as those of Ansel Adams, are often reprinted, expressed as the following: negative: 1875, print 1904).

    Explain when a work has been revised (e.g., for a sculpture: 1372, reworked 1377-1379).

    Indicate when a manuscript has been illuminated during one period and bound in another.

    Note that dates on prints are often the date when the plate was completed (which is typically inscribed on the plate), not the date when the print was pulled.
  • Performance art and installations
    Performance art or happenings may require a date more specific than the year; they may have taken place on a specific day and time of day. Ephemeral street art or installations, may have a finite range of dates associated with their existence (e.g., installed 12 November 1978-31 January 1979). Only the years would be indexed in Start Date and End Date.
  • Architecture
    Architecture is typically created over a span of years and may include the date of design and the span of time required for construction (e.g., designed late 14th century, constructed 1410-1486). Indicate when architectural structures have been created in multiple building campaigns during different periods of time. Note that dates recorded in documents associated with architecture could be either the date of the laying of the cornerstone or the date the structure was dedicated.
  • Albums and groups
    Albums of works may contain works with multiple dates (e.g., for an album of drawings, drawings date ca. 1550-1777, compiled 1789-1796, rebound with additions 1891).

    Groups of works commonly contain items created over a period of time. For the group, record a) the inclusive, b) the bulk dates, and/or c) the coverage dates. Use Qualifier to index if the dates are inclusive, coverage, or bulk dates.
    Inclusive dates: Also called span dates, the years of the earliest and latest dated works in the group (e.g., for a folder of drawings, 1911-1951 (inclusive dates)).

    Bulk dates: The years representing the earliest and latest dates for the most important or principal body of items in the group. There may be multiple sets of bulk dates for any group (e.g., 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 (bulk dates)).

    Coverage dates: The date range for the subjects contained in the archival materials, particularly when the subjects do not correspond to the dates when the group or series was created. For example, a series created in the 1970s about the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor would have a coverage date of 1941 and inclusive dates of 1970-1979 (e.g., 1941 (coverage), 1970-1979 (inclusive dates)).

   

 

3.6.1.16.5.3

   

Form and syntax

  • If a specific date is known, record the year. If a span of dates is applicable (as when a work was completed over several years), record the year beginning the span, dash, and the year ending the span.

  • Use natural word order.

  • Do not capitalize words other than proper nouns or period names.

  • Avoid abbreviations, except with ca. (for "circa"), the numbers in century or dynasty designations (e.g., 17th century), and BCE and CE. Include all digits for both years in a span; for example, with four-digit years, do not abbreviate the second year (e.g., record 1780-1795, NOT 1780-95).

  • Use ordinal numbers (e.g., 17th) and Arabic numbers (e.g., 1959), as appropriate.

  • Express words and phrases in the language of the catalog record (English in the United States), except in rare cases where no English-language equivalent exists or where the foreign term is most commonly used (e.g., with the name of a period). Use diacritics as required.

   

 

3.6.1.16.5.4

   

Calendar
Use the proleptic Gregorian calendar (the calendar produced by extending the Gregorian calendar to dates preceding its official introduction).

If dates are expressed according to systems other than the Gregorian calendar (such as Julian, Napoleonic, or Islamic calendars), this fact should be clearly designated (e.g., 1088 AH (1677 CE)) notes the year in the Islamic calendar with the year in the Gregorian calendar (Common Era) in parentheses). Indexing in Start Date and End Date will use numbers representing years in the Gregorian calendar.

  • BCE, CE, Before Present
    Use BCE (Before Common Era) to indicate dates before the year 1 in the proleptic Gregorian calendar.

    For dates after the year 1, generally do not include the designation CE (Current Era), except where confusion may occur because a) the span of dates begins BCE and ends CE (e.g., 75 BCE-10 CE) or b) the date is within the first few centuries of the Current Era.

    Do not use BC (Before Christ) or AD (Anno Domini).

    For very ancient works, artifacts, and in certain other disciplines where BCE is not appropriate (e.g., for Paleolithic artifacts), use the phrases years ago or before present to reflect your source's indication of age relative to the present rather than an absolute date. Do not abbreviate these designations (e.g., do not use y.a. or B.P.).

   

 

3.6.1.16.5.5

   

Modifiers for uncertainty
If the specific year or span is not known, use modifiers to record dates with the greatest accuracy known (e.g., probably 1514 or ca. 1735). In the guidelines below, the conventions are arranged from greatest level of accuracy to the least; use the greatest possible level of accuracy, based on the information at hand.

  • probably or "?": If there is doubt among scholars regarding the date of a work, indicate this by using the word probably or a question mark.

  • or: If the date of a work is known to be one particular year or another, indicate this by using the word or (e.g., 1876 or 1886). If the creation is one year or the adjacent year, his may be expressed using a forward slash (e.g., 1978/1979, rather than 1978 or 1979); however, either expression is acceptable.

  • ca.: If the precise date is unknown, preface the year with ca. for "circa" (e.g., ca. 830 BCE). If ca. is used with a span of dates, repeat it as necessary to indicate whether it applies to the beginning year, the ending year, or both years of the span (e.g., ca. 1815-ca. 1825). Preface centuries or other broad dates with ca. as needed (e.g., ca. early 1st century CE).

  • about: For very ancient works, the convention is to use the word about rather than ca. (e.g., about 5,000 years ago or about 10,000 years before present, etc.). Using about rather than ca. is also the convention in some local art cataloging practice and in genealogy.

  • before, after: When an exact date is unknown, express dates relative to a terminus ante quem or a terminus post quem (meaning date before which and date after which), if appropriate, using the words before or after (e.g., after 1611).

  • spans: Two types of date spans may be used. Distinguish between a) the span indicating that a precise date is unknown, but the work was created at some point during the span (e.g., 1735/1745), and b) the span that is known, during which the creation process took place over a number of years, as with architecture (e.g., constructed ca. 1435 - ca. 1560). When necessary to avoid ambiguity, add words or phrases to clearly describe the meaning of the date.

    Dash vs. forward slash: A dash or forward slash may be used in the following ways, provided it will be clear to the user what is meant. Use the dash to indicate a span during which a work was made, as when a building was constructed over several years (e.g., ca. 1435 - ca. 1560 means that construction took several years, from ca. 1435 to ca. 1560).

    Use the forward slash (meaning "between") when a specific date is not known, to indicate a span that contains some year or years when the work was made (e.g., for a bowl, the date 1735/1745 means the precise date is uncertain, but creation occurred sometime between 1735 and 1745).

  • decades, centuries: When the exact date is unknown, indicate the date to the nearest decade or century, when appropriate. Do not use an apostrophe with decades (e.g., 1890s, NOT 1890's). Qualify decades or centuries with early, mid-, and late, as warranted.

  • period, era: If no more precise date is known, you may express dates according to a named period, dynasty, or ruler's reign, if appropriate (e.g., late East Gravettian). The periods may be divided into early, middle, or late.

    Start and end dates for retrieval (discussed below) should be based on dates applicable for that period, if no more specific date for the work is known. In some cases, the period named in Creation Display date may be the same as the period recorded in Style or Culture.

    If you include the years of the period or era in the display Creation Display Date, put the years in parentheses, to distinguish them from dates for the actual object (e.g., Ming (1368-1644) indicates that the Ming dynasty existed between those dates).

    I f you have a closer approximation of date for the object, include that date instead (e.g., creation display date: ca. 1610, instead of creation date: Ming (1368-1644)), and record Ming as the culture/period.

  • contemporary: If no more precise date is known for a contemporary work, other than that the artist is still or has recently been active, for creation display date record contemporary rather than 21st century.

  • no date: Do not use n.d. (for "no date"). Do not leave the date fields blank.

    If a date is uncertain, determine a possible date range based on available information, including the dates of other art works, associated historical events, or the birth and death dates of the artist (e.g., unless the work was completed after his or her death, the death date of the artist would be the terminus ante quem for the work he or she created).

  • unavailable: As a last resort, if no date is known or possible to broadly estimate, or if a date is not applicable, use the value unavailable in the Creation Display Date.

   

 

 

3.6.1.17

 

 

Date Qualifier

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.1

 

 

Definition
A clarification of the meaning of the date, including an indication that different creative activities took place on different dates.

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by an extensible list.

Examples:
creation
design
execution

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.4

 

 

Discussion
Use this field when the span of time between different creative activities is significant; use repeating sets of start and end dates to index the various activities.

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.5

 

 

RULES for Date Qualifier

 

 

 

3.6.1.17.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Date Qualifier

Optional: Record an appropriate value from the controlled list.

Use qualifiers to label the various sets of dates (e.g., creation, design, execution, alteration, restoration, addition).

The type of dates used for groups, bulk, coverage, or inclusive, should also be indexed here.

   

 

3.6.1.17.5.2

 

 

List of Date Qualifiers

The date qualifier is drawn from an extensible list. At the time of this writing, the values are the following.

    creation: Refers to dates when the work was made. Used as a rather general term, not distinguishing between design and execution. If there is only one set of dates, it is assumed to be the creation date and this flag is not necessary.

    design: Use for dates when the work was conceived and designed, as distinct from the dates when it was physically made or created.

    execution: Refers to movable works. Use for dates when the work was physically made, often used together with dates of design.

    construction:
    Refers to built works and monumental works. Use for dates when the work was physically made, often used together with dates of design.

    alteration: Use for dates when the work was changed in a significant way.

    addition: Use for dates when a significant part or extension was added to the work.

    performance: For performance works, use for the dates of the performance.

    restoration: Use for the dates when a work in disrepair was restored.

    reconstruction: Refers to built works and certain movable works. Use for dates when a ruined, destroyed, or lost work was reconstructed.

    renovation: Use for dates when a work was changed to become more modern or bettered, as opposed to restoration, which is a returned to its original state.

    redesign: Use for dates when a work was changed so signficantly that its design is different in a major way.

    discovery: Refers to works recovered from archaeological sites, often used primarily when the actual date of creation is unknown to provide a terminus ante quem (date before which the work must have been created).

    bulk: Use for groups, the years representing the earliest and latest dates for the most important or principal body of items in the group. There may be multiple sets of bulk dates for any group.

    inclusive: Use for groups, also called span dates, the years of the earliest and latest dated works in the group.

    coverage: Use for groups, the date range for the archival materials, particularly when the dates do not correspond to the dates when the group or series was created.

    publication: For published works such as prints and books, the dates when the work was made available in published form. For books, the publication date appears on an initial page of older books and the copyright page of modern books. For prints, the publication date may be inscribed in the plate, but unless so designated, assume the date inscribed in the plate is the date when the plate was engraved.

    installation: For installation pieces, the dates when a work was installed in a museum or other venue.

    commission: Use for the dates of a commission of the work, which gives an indication of when the work was conceived. Especially important when the actual date of creation is not documented.

    interior: For architecture. Use for dates when the interior was created, as opposed to the dates for the exterior.

    exterior: For architecture. Use for dates when the exterior was created, as opposed to the dates for the interior.

    overall: Use for dates of the entire work, particularly useful when certain parts are also dated separately.

    binding: For books and volumes. Use for dates of the cover or other binding, particularly when it is a different date than the content of the volume.

    illumination: For illuminated works, including books and manuscripts. Use when the dates of the illuminations may be different than dates for the binding or the text.

    negative: For photography. Use for dates when the negative was made by the photographer, particularly when the photographic print has a later date.

    plate: For printmaking or photography. Use for dates of the plate from which the print was made or pulled, particularly when the date of the printing is later.

    print: For printmaking and photography. Use for dates of the print made from a negative or plate, particularly when it is later than the date of the negative or plate.

    mold: For sculpture, ceramic ware, glassware, and other three dimensional works. Use for the date of the mold from which the work was made, particularly when the work was created at a date later than the mold.

    casting: For sculpture and other three dimensional works. Use for the date when the casting was done, particularly when later than the date of the mold or model from which it was made.

       
     
    • Examples

    • Display Date: designed 1911, executed 1942-1948
      Start Date: 1911 End Date: 1911 Qualifier: design
      Start Date: 1942 End Date: 1948 Qualifier: execution

    • Display Date: illuminated 2nd quarter 11th century, binding 12th century
      Start Date: 1025 End Date: 1050 Qualifier: illumination
      Start Date: 1100 End Date: 1199 Qualifier: binding

    • Display Date: 1911-1951 (inclusive dates)
      Start Date: 1911 End Date: 1951 Qualifier: inclusive

   

 

3.6.1.17.5.3

   

Date of destruction

For dates of destruction, use the Events fields.

   

 

 

3.6.1.18

 

 

Start Date and End Date (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.1

 

 

Definition
The earliest and latest possible years when the work of art or architecture was created. For works that were created over a span of time, this is the year when the work was designed or when execution was begun, and the year when it was completed. For uncertain or approximate dates, this is the earliest and latest possible years when the work could have been created.

  • Examples

  • Start Date: 1889    End Date: 1889
    Start Date: -975    End Date: -952
    Start Date: 1600    End Date: 1699

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled format. Numbers are used to represent years, with negative numbers representing dates BCE.

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.4

 

 

Discussion
Display dates should always be carefully expressed so as to not misrpresent known information about dating. However, end users do not see Start and End Dates, thus you may estimate for retrieval purposes in these fields.

Estimating dates: For uncertain dates of creation, the start date and end date should be estimated broadly using available information about the work or the artist. For example, you could estimate that the earliest possible date for any work by a given artist is eighteen or twenty years after the artist's birth.

Where more specific dating information cannot be derived from the work itself or the artist's life, use conventions to ensure consistency, for example, a display date of ca. 1410, in the absence of more specific information, may be indexed by subtracting five years for retrieval in start date and adding five years for end date (i.e., start date = 1405, end date = 1415). The date first half 16th century could be indexed with start date = 1500 and end date = 1550.

Dates represented as broad historical periods, such as Medieval, could be indexed with years representing the broadest span applicable for that period. If there is great uncertainty, an estimate could be made to the nearest century or span of 100 years, indexing start date and end date as the beginning and end of the 100-year span (e.g., 15th century would be indexed as start date = 1400, end date = 1499).

For a creation date that is a single year, both start date and end date should be the same year (e.g., for a painting created in 1674, start date = 1674, and end date = 1674).

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.5

 

 

RULES for Start Date and End Date

 

 

 

3.6.1.18.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Start Date and End Date

Required: Record the start and end years appropriate to index the display date.

The set of start and end dates is repeatable. If you repeat the set, however, you must define the meaning of the dates with Qualifier.

For additional information, see also Appendix B: Dates.

 

 


     

Form and syntax

  • Record numbers to represent years in the start and end date fields, without commas or other punctuation. An exception is the dash/hyphen, which is used to express negative numbers for dates BCE. Use four digits for most years. Dates BCE may require more than four digits (e.g., -10000).

  • Always record years for indexing in the proleptic Gregorian calendar, even if another calendar was referenced in the Creation Display Date.

  • Start date and end date record the broadest estimated span of time during which the creation of the work took place. For individual works, start date = should be the earliest possible year that creation of the work could have been begun.

    For groups, it should be the earliest year and latest year in the span indicated in Creation Display Date.

    End users do not see the start and end dates, thus you may estimate in these fields.

 

 

 

   

Advice for estimating dates
In all cases, adapt or abandon the following recommendations to allow an appropriately greater or lesser span if it is supported by more specific available information.

single year: Where a single exact year is known, record the same year in both start date and end date (e.g., creation display date = 1967, start date = 1967, end date = 1967).

span of years: Where an exact span is known, use the beginning and end dates of the span for start date and end date (e.g., creation display date = 1874-1893, meaning the making of the work took place over several years, start date = 1874, end date = 1893; or creation display date = 1744/1748, meaning the creation took place sometime between these years, start date = 1744, end date = 1748).

BCE: Record dates BCE as negative numbers (e.g., creation display date = 333/331 BCE, start date = -333, end date = -331).

or: Where a date is one year or another, given that the two possible dates will probably be very close to each other, record the two dates as start date and end date (e.g., creation display date = 1978 or 1981, start date = 1978, end date = 1981). See also multiple dates below.

ca.: For circa (ca.), for works produced within the last several centuries, use a 10-year span for start date and end date (e.g., subtract five years from start date and add five years to end date to create a 10-year span (e.g., creation display date = ca. 1860 could be indexed start date = 1855, end date = 1865).

For ancient works, use a one-hundred year span (50 years either side of the date) for circa (e.g., creation display date = ca. 1200 BCE could be indexed start date = -1250, end date = -1150); alter this formula as necessary as warranted by more specific available information.

For extremely ancient artifacts, a broader range may be estimated. In the example below, a span of one thousand years on either side of 8,000 BCE was estimated (e.g., display date = about 10,000 years before present, start date = -9000 end date = -7000).

before and after: Where before or after a given year is indicated, estimate start date and end date based on available information; allow a ten-year span if nothing else is known (e.g., for creation display date = after 1743, start date = 1743, end date = 1753, or creation display date = before 1410, start date = 1400, end date = 1410).

centuries, decades: In indexing, begin a century with "00," end it with "99" (e.g., creation display date = 16th century, start date = 1500, end date = 1599). Begin a decade with "0," end it with "9" (e.g., creation display date = 1950s, start date = 1950, end date = 1959).

early, mid-, late: Assign appropriate start date and end date by dividing the decade or century into thirds, unless this formula is contradicted by available information:

early = "00" to "29," mid- = "30" to "69," late = "70" to "99" (e.g.,creation display date = late 18th century, start date = 1770, end date = 1799, or creation display date = early 16th century, start date = 1500 and end date = 1529).

probably or "?": For indications of probably or question mark, index with start date and end date representing an appropriate span based on available information, perhaps a year or two to either side of the date (e.g., depending upon available information, creation display date = probably 1937 may be indexed as start date = 1936, end date = 1938).

period, era: If the creation display date refers to a period, era, or reign of a ruler, you may use the beginning and end dates of the period, era, or reign as start date and end date, if no closer approximation of dates can be devised for the object itself (e.g., creation display date = reign of Shahjahan (1628-1657), start date = 1628, end date = 1657).

As noted above, the span of the reign in the Display Date should be enclosed in parentheses, to indicate to the user that these dates apply to the reign, and are not necessarily years specifically associated with the work.

contemporary: If the work is contemporary and no more precise date is known, estimate an start date based on the artist's estimated birth date plus 18 years, and use the current year as the end date = (e.g., creation display date = contemporary, start date = 1976, end date = 2005). If the life dates of the creator are not known, make a broader span indicating contemporary.

multiple dates: If there are multiple dates associated with a work, for start date and end date, use either of two methods:

a) record the span represented by total span implied in creation display date (e.g., creation display date = 1372, reworked 1377-1379, start date = 1372, end date = 1379), or

b) repeat start date and end date along with a qualifier to more precisely record the dates (e.g., creation display date = designed 1482, executed 1532-1534; qualifier = design, start date = 1482, end date = 1482 | qualifier = execution, start date = 1532, end date = 1534).

 

 

 

   

The following examples illustrate the use of Creation Display Date with Start Date, End Date, and, when warranted, Qualifier.

  • Examples

  • Display Date: 1889
    Start Date: 1889 End Date: 1889

    Display Date: 1766-1782
    Start Date: 1766 End Date: 1782

    Display Date: 12 December 2010
    Start Date: 2010 End Date: 2010

    Display Date: before 952 BCE
    Start Date: -975 End Date: -952

    Display Date: 1948/1949
    Start Date: 1948 End Date: 1949

    Display Date: 1911-1951 (inclusive dates)
    Start Date: 1911 End Date: 1951 Qualifier: inclusive

    Display Date: ca. 1537
    Start Date: 1532 End Date: 1542

    Display Date: late 4th century
    Start Date: 375 End Date: 399

    Display Date: 17th century
    Start Date: 1600 End Date: 1699

    Display Date: reign of Rameses II (1279–1213 BCE)
    Start Date: -1279 End Date: -1213
    Display Date: An II de la Republique (1794)
    Start Date: 1794 End Date: 1794

    Display Date: designed 1911, executed 1942-1948
    Start Date: 1911 End Date: 1911 Qualifier: design
    Start Date: 1942 End Date: 1948 Qualifier: execution

    Display Date: illuminated 2nd quarter 11th century, binding 12th century
    Start Date: 1025 End Date: 1050 Qualifier: illumination
    Start Date: 1100 End Date: 1199 Qualifier: binding

   

 

 

3.6.1.19

 

 

Geographic or Corporate Body Location (required)

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.1

 

 

Definition
The name of the repository or of a geographic location where the work is currently located. May also include discovery location and other types of locations.

  • Examples

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, New York, USA)

    Acalán (deserted settlement) (Tabasco, Mexico)

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by ULAN (for repositories) and TGN (for geographic places).

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.4

 

 

Discussion
Corporate bodies are linked to ULAN. Geographic places are linked to TGN.

Movable works in CONA typically have as current location a repository. Repositories include museums, special collections, libraries, universities, churches, or other public or private institutions. By linking to ULAN, the geographic location and other information about the repository should be available for retrieval of the works in CONA. In CONA, do not make a second link directly to the geographic location of the repository.

Architecture and monumental works in CONA typically have as current location a geographic place, linked to TGN.

Former repositories may also be included here if important, although the full provenance of the work should be recorded as free text in the Provenance field.

In addition to current location, places of creation, discovery, or publication may be included in this field.

Repositories: Repository names are controlled by ULAN. A repository for an art work is defined as the institution or organization that owns or has control of the object (e.g., National Gallery of Art (London, England, United Kingdom)). For works not housed in a museum or other collecting institution, locations may include the name of another repository, such as a church or university (e.g., the corporate body church of Santa Croce (Florence, Italy)), which is not necessarily the same as the name of the institution that has control of the work (e.g., for works in Santa Croce, the Soprintendenza ai Beni artistici e storici per le province di Firenze, Prato e Pistoia is responsible).

Geographic locations: For many works that are stationary or immovable, there will be no repository. These works are located in a geographic location. If known, also record the administrative entity that has jurisdiction over the care of the monumental work. For example, an obelisk in Rome is not located in a repository, so Rome (Italy) is the current location. However, if the government entity that has jurisdiction over the obelisk is known, it should also be recorded by linking to ULAN corporate bodies.

Anachronisms: As of this writing, in linking locations, the link is made to the TGN and ULAN record (subject_id), not to an individual name in the TGN or ULAN record. The label displayed in CONA for this link will be the default display, using the TGN or ULAN preferred name and associated parents and other information.

Due to the linking to subject_id, labels for the TGN and ULAN entities as displayed in CONA may appear as anachronisms, if the names of the places were different when the work was associated with the place. Anachronisms may also appear when the place was formerly part of a different nation or other administrative entity in the past.

Such anachronisms should be explained in the Descriptive Note. For example, the place of creation for a work made in 1872 could be linked to TGN and appear in CONA as Strasbourg (Alsace, France), when in reality Strasbourg at that time was part of Germany; in the Descriptive Note, the anachronism could be explained, "created in Straßburg, German Empire."

It is anticipated that the CONA location field will be revised to allow linking to historical names in the future. However, the issue of anachronistic historical broader contexts will be an ongoing issue that will require explanation in the Descriptive Note.

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.5

 

 

RULES for Geographic or Corporate Body Location

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Geographic or Corporate Body Location

Required: Current location of the work is required. The current repository corporate body, linked to ULAN, or current geographic location, linked to TGN, is required. Do not link to both ULAN and TGN for current location.

Optional: Additional locations, such as places of creation, discovery, or publication may be included.

 

 

 

3.6.1.19.5.2

 

 

How to record the Location

For current location, link movable works to ULAN for corporate bodies (repositories). Link architecture and other works not in a repository to TGN for geographic location.

  • For movable works, for current location link to the name of a repository in ULAN, if possible.

  • For built works and when otherwise appropriate, for current location, link to a geographic location in TGN.

  • For current location, do not link to both a repository in ULAN and also to a geographic place in TGN.

  • Include the repository number, credit line, and other administrative information about the work in the appropriate fields, as described below.

  • Specificity
    Record the most specific location applicable or known.

    Linking to ULAN: Most movable works in CONA are located in a repository as curent location. For repositories, link to the institution that has control or ownership of the movable work.

    It is possible, although not necessarily recommended, to link to a subdivision of a repository. When an institution comprises divisions or departments, each of which has responsibility for different objects or architectural works, you may link to the level of administrative unit that has direct responsibility for the object. For example, the repository of a sarcophagus could be the Department of Egyptian Antiquities (British Museum).

    Linking to TGN: Most built works and monumental works in CONA are located in a geographic place as current location. For geographic places, record to the level of city or town, if possible.

    Street addresses: Street addresses for built works are recorded in CONA Address Note and Coordinates field; street addresses are not in TGN.

  • Homographs
    Given the large number of homographs in TGN and ULAN, take extra care to link to the correct entity.

  • Adding names to ULAN or TGN
    If a record needs to be added to TGN or ULAN, add a "stub" record in a candidate hierarchy in TGN or ULAN, and link to it in CONA. (The stub records will be processed separately.)

  • Anachronisms
    If the links to TGN and ULAN result in apparent anachronisms of names or broader contexts in the CONA display, clarify the situation in the Descriptive Note.

 

 

3.6.1.19.5.3

 

 

For various kinds of works

  • For movable works
    For movable works (e.g., sculptures, drawings, ceramic vessels), for current location, record the repository that currently has physical responsibility for the object.

  • For built works
    For built works (architecture) or monumental works, record the current geographic location where the work is found. Geographic places may be administrative entities, such as a city (e.g., Tokyo (Japan)) or physical features (e.g. Lascaux Cave (Dordogne, Aquitaine, France)).

  • Not repository and geographic location for same place
    If you record a repository linked to ULAN, do not also link to the geographic place where that repository is located. This link is done in the ULAN corporate body record, and should not be repeated here in CONA Location field.

    Exception: For built works, there can be an exception to this rule. If you record the TGN geographic location of the work, and you also know the administrative entity that has control of the work, you may record a second link to the ULAN administrative entity. For example, a given obelisk in Rome is not located in a repository, so TGN Rome (Italy) is the current location. However, if the government entity, the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma, that has jurisdiction over the obelisk is known, it should also be recorded by linking to ULAN corporate bodies. The Soprintendenza is not a repository per se, but is important to record, if known.

  • Multiple current locations
    It is rare but possible that a work may have two current repositories. For example, a collection of photographs may be jointly held by two different institutions. If this occurs, flag both repositories as current location, and flag location type as co-owners.

  • Historical places
    For former locations, in addition to linking to cities, you may link to deserted settlements (e.g., Machu Picchu (Peru)) and former nations or empires (e.g., Flanders), as appropriate.

  • Repository or architectural context
    If a church or other entity is a repository of a work, be sure to link to the repository in ULAN. Note that a built work may have the same name as the repository corporate body that inhabits that building. The building is recorded as an architectural work in CONA, while the corporate body is recorded in ULAN.

    Do not confuse repository with architectural context. Architectural context for a work refers to its placement in a built work. For architectural context, record the context in Associative Relationships, linking to the CONA record for the building; use Relationship Type architectural context is.

  • Performance art
    For performance art or environmental art, record the location or locations where the work was performed or created. For Location Type, use creation. Current location for performance art should be indicated with Location Type not applicable.

 

 

 

   
  • Lost works
    For works that are lost or destroyed, record the last known location. In addition, in location type flag with appropriate terminology to indicate the current status of the work: undetermined, destroyed, lost. If only the creation location is known, record it here and flag it location type creation.

  • Private collections
    If the work is in a private collection, there are three possibilities. a) Record the name of the collection, if known. The collection should be represented by a corporate body record in ULAN. b) If the name of the collection is unknown or if the owner wishes to remain anonymous, do not link to ULAN but flag the location type as private collection. c) If the geographic location is known, link it using TGN. Option c) may be done together with option b), but do not link to geographic location for option a).

  • Destroyed works
    If the work is lost, destroyed, has location unknown, or the work is in an anonymous private collection, for current location, there is no link to TGN or ULAN in this case. Instead, choose an appropriate Location Type.

  • Unnamed locations
    If a geographic location is known but simply unnamed, record the nearest named town, city, or physical feature. In the Descriptive Note, explain and qualify the location name with the phrase near in (e.g., in Descriptive note: cliff face, near Huashan, Shaanxi, China; In Location, link to TGN Huashan (Shaanxi, China)).

    For an unnamed site that is not near a town or city, link to the name of the smallest administrative entity that contains the site (e.g., a county, Franklin County (Indiana, USA)).

    Archaeological sites: For archaeological sites that are not named, link to the nearerst named location. You may describe the location in the descriptive note (e.g., Tomb 7, Monte Albán, near Oaxaca City (Mexico) or plot #125, hill 78-098 (Great Zimbabwe Ruins National Park, Victoria, Zimbabwe)).

  • Point coordinates
    For recording geographic coordinates, see Address Note and Coordinates below.

  • Uncertain location
    If the location is uncertain but not completely unknown, explain this in the descriptive note, and index the multiple possible locations here.

   

 

 

3.6.1.20

 

 

Current Location Flag (required-default)

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of whether the location is current or another type of location.

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by a list.

current
other

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.4

 

 

Discussion
Locations contributed with CONA work records will be assumed to be Current, unless otherwise indicated.

For contributions from repositories of the works, the contributor and the current location are the same institution.

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.5

 

 

RULES for Current Location Flag

 

 

 

3.6.1.20.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Current Flag

Required: Recording a current location for the work is required. Indicate the preferred and other status of the location using the controlled list.

 

 


3.6.1.20.5.2

   

How to flag current or other locations

  • Current: For the current repository or geographic location, use current. If the location is current, it may not also have a Location Type.

  • Other: For creation, discovery, former, or other locations that are not current, use other. For other locations, also indicate the type of location in Location Type.

   

 

 

3.6.1.21

 

 

Location Type

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.1

 

 

Definition
For locations other than current locations, an indication of the significance of this location as related to the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.2

 

 

Values
Values are controlled by an extensible list.

    Examples

    former
    creation
    discovery
    private collection

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.4

 

 

Discussion
Locations having the current flag should not have a Location Type.

For locations that are other locations, it is necessary to indicate the relationship of the location to the work. Use this flag also to indicate lost or destroyed works, works that have multiple locations, works that are in unnamed private collections, place of publication for printed works, and other types of locations.

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.5

 

 

RULES for Location Type

 

 

 

3.6.1.21.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Location Type

Optional: If the location is other than a current location, and you have thus used the current flag value other, use an appropriate value to describe the other location type here.

 

 


3.6.1.21.5.2

   

List of Location Types

Choose the appropriate location type based on the definitions below.

    former: Indicates an important place where the work was formerly located. Do not use this flag to build provenance statements for the work. Record provenance in the Provenance text field.

    creation: Indicates the place where the work was created or made.

    discovery: Indicates the place where the work was discovered, although not verified to have been made here. This value is preferable to creation when noting the discovery location of artifacts.

    publication: For published works, such as prints and books, the geographic place from which the work was published. This value is preferable to creation for published works. To link to the publisher as a corporate body, use Related Person / Corporate Body. The corporate headquarters of the publisher, noted in the ULAN record for the publisher, is not necessarily the same as the place of publication of the work.

    original: Indicates the place from which the work originated, used when it is uncertain if this is the creation place. Often reserved for architecture or architectural elements that have been moved from their original site, but the value may be used for movable works when other values do not apply.

    site context: Indicates the site where the work was or is located; most often used when a built work in CONA is also included in TGN as a place. TGN may include names of buildings when they are used as place names. The CONA built work should be linked to the appropriate TGN record for a town, city, county, etc. as current location. Link to the built-work-place in TGN as other location, using site context as location type. Do not make the built-work-place in TGN the current location. Instead, the current location would be a broader geographic place, such as a city or county.

    not applicable: Use for current location for performance art, series, and other conceptual works, and other works for which location is not appropriate.

    undetermined: Typically reserved as a default value for records that are contributed with locations having current flag = other, but no location type has been provided.

    lost: Use instead of a current location. Indicates the work is known to have existed through documentation, but the current location is unknown, making it a so-called lost work. If known, record the last known location as other location, with location type last known. For destroyed works, use destroyed instead of lost.

    last known: Indicates the last known location of a work that is lost.

    destroyed: Use instead of a current location. Indicates that the work is destroyed. Use for works known to have been destroyed. Also include their former location as other location, with location type = former.

    multiple locations: Use instead of current location, for records representing a disassembled works or other records for works having parts in multiple places.

    private collection: Use instead of current location when the work is held by a private owner who prefers to remain anonymous.

    co-owner: Indicates the current location indicated is one of two or more repositories for the work. May be used for other locations as necessary, if two repositories held the work at the same time.

 

 

 

 

3.6.1.22

 

 

Repository Numbers (required if applicable)

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.1

 

 

Definition
Any unique identifiers assigned to a work by the current or a former repository.

  • Examples

  • 1987.776.32 A
    P&D 3455-90
    86.DH.705.1
    AR1982:0002,#145: 116
    Barb. lat. 4434, folio 3
    Ms. Coll. E.2.I.28
    Ph/503/1913

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.2

 

 

Values
Free text. Use Unicode characters and numbers.

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.4

 

 

Discussion
The identifier usually contains coded information used by the repository, such as the date of accession, donor, or physical location of the object within the repository. For objects that are part of volumes or groups, the identifier may be a concatenation of unique identifiers for the object at hand and its larger contexts (e.g., AR1982:0002, #145: 116 identifies object 116 within subgroup 145, which in turn is in the larger group AR1982:0002).

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.5

 

 

RULES for Repository Numbers

 

 

 

3.6.1.22.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Repository Numbers

Required if applicable: Record any numeric or alphanumeric code (such as an accession number, shelf number, etc.) or phrase that uniquely identifies the object as belonging to a collection held by the repository or one of its administrative units.

If built works have identifying numbers, they may be recorded here.

 

 


3.6.1.22.5.2

   

Recording repository numbers

Record multiple identifiers, if necessary. For example, when an identifier has changed over time or when multiple identifiers are used for the same object within the repository. Separate values with a semi-colon; the field is not repeatable (e.g., Ms. Ludwig IX19; 83.ML.115).

Another example could be whent a single object is composed of fragments acquired over time, and the repository has deleted records for the original fragments. (Alternatively, an object composed of fragments may be a parent record with its own unique ID, and the children records for the fragments may be recorded separately.)

   

 

 

3.6.1.23

 

 

Credit Line (required if applicable)

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.1

 

 

Definition
A brief statement indicating how the work came into the current collection or how it came to be on view at the repository; generally created by the repository.

  • Examples

  • Rogers Fund, 1949

    Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Gift of Edward S. Harkness, 1929

    Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Gift, Joyce and Robert Menschel Gift and Rogers Fund, 1995

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.2

 

 

Values
Free text. Use Unicode characters and numbers.

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.4

 

 

Discussion
The work's credit line indicates how the work came into the collection or how it came to be on view at the repository; it may contain words such as bequest, gift, purchase, or loan, and the name of the benefactor. The year or accession may be included.

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.5

 

 

RULES for Credit Line

 

 

 

3.6.1.23.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Credit Line

Required if applicable: Record the credit line verbatim as indicated by the repository. If the repository requires a credit line, it is required to include it, if known.

Statements of ownership: Credit line often refers to the last owner of the work before it entered the current repository's collection. To record the full ownership history of the work, use the Provenance note field.

   

 

 

3.6.1.24

 

 

Address Note and Coordinates

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.1

 

 

Definition
An indication of the street address and geographic coordinates for a built work, plot numbers for archaeological sites, or the gallery or shelf location of a movable work within the repository.

  • Examples

  • 234 Washington Street
    34.116634 -118.391623
    Gallery 223
    AF-009.45
    Room 89

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.2

 

 

Values
Free text, but consistent formatting required. Use Unicode characters and numbers.

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.3

 

 

Sources
The same authoritative sources that are appropriate for the rest of the record may be used, including data from the repostory of the work.

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.4

 

 

Discussion

This field is used to note the specific placement or location of a work. For movable works in repositories, shelf numbers or gallery numbers may be recorded here. Addresses of built works may recorded, serving as important information in disambiguating one work from another and for locating the works. Geographic coordinates of built works are increasingly recorded by documentation projects.

Geographic coordinates: As of this writing, geographic coordinates for CONA must be captured in this free text field (it is hoped that in the future updates, coordinate fields will be added to the CONA data model).

For built works or monumental works, the geographic coordinates may be included to represent the point on the globe where the work is located, expressed in degrees/minutes/seconds or decimal degrees: if possible, coordinates in CONA should be expressed in decimal degrees. Decimal degrees are decimal fractions of degrees where minutes and seconds are translated into decimal values, (e.g., 40 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds = 40.5000 decimal degrees). The expression of coordinates in decimal degrees is used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and for other applications where mathematical calculations are necessary. In decimal fractions, the directional indicators (e.g., north, south, east, or west) are not included. Instead, directions are indicated by using sets of positive and negative numbers: north latitude and east longitude are expressed as positive numbers; south latitude and west longitude are expressed as negative numbers (as in the example above). For a full discussion of coordinates, see the TGN Editorial Guidelines: Coordinates.

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.5

 

 

RULES for Address Note and Coordinates

 

 

 

3.6.1.24.5.1

 

 

Minimum requirements for Address Note

Optional: Record a street address and coordinates of a built work.

The field may also be used for a description of the location of a movable work in the repository.

Record the trench or plot number for discovery or excavation locations here.

 

 


3.6.1.24.5.2

   

Recording address note

  • Street addresses
    For street addresses, use street number, street name, city, state, nation, or other information as indicated by national standard postal conventions.

  • Geographic coordinates
    For geographic coordinates, transcribe coordinates exactly as found in the source. Decimal fractions of degrees are preferred over degrees, minutes, seconds, but either format will be accepted.

  • Gallery numbers
    For shelf numbers, room numbers, gallery numbers, or other indications of location within a repository, use the format as prescribed by the repository.

  • Plot numbers
    For trench numbers, plot numbers, or other identifying codes for the location in an archaeological site or other site, use the format convention used by the project documenting the site.

  • Multiple values
    This field is not repeatable. If multiple values are included in the field, separate them with a semi-colon. If geographic coordinates are among the values here, put them at the beginning of the field.

    • Example

      34.116634 -118.391623; 9036 Wonderland Park Avenue, Los Angeles, California
   

 

       

1"Required-default" indicates that a default is automatically set, but should be changed by the cataloguer as necessary.


Last updated 16 January 2016
Document is subject to frequent revisions




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