Art Genre #
Description
form of art in terms of a medium, format, or theme
Rules
We distinguish art genres from art movements, even when they have similar names. For instance, “Impressionism” can refer to both a genre and a movement, but should only be tagged as art genre if it refers to a style characterized by a focus on light and ordinary subjects, rather than the movement led by artists such as Monet or Degas. General terms such as “art” or “painting” are not annotated unless they are part of a specific genre term, such as “Art Nouveau.”
Examples
The distinction with art movements is illustrated in the following example, where the genre is characterized by a particular style rather than collective intentions or groups of artists:
Relations
has genre (work of art art genre)
See
Art Material #
Description
substance, raw ingredient, or tool that is utilized by an artist to create a work of art
Rules
Only specific materials or tools are tagged, such as “linseed oil” or “pastels”. We do not annotate processes or techniques unless they include a material reference. For instance, “etching ink” should be tagged, but “etching” as a process should not; in such cases, artistic technique should be used. We verify that expressions refer to art materials in context; thus, words such as “iron” or “glass” should only be tagged when they pertain to art making.
Examples
Material combinations that are frequently used together should be treated as a single entity and annotated collectively, as in this example from the auction house Neumeister:
Relations
made from material (work of art art material)
See
Art Movement #
Description
tendency or style in art with a specific common philosophy or goal, possibly associated with a specific historical period
Rules
We annotate mentions of recognized movements such as “Impressionism,” “Cubism,” or “Surrealism.” Art movements are distinct from art genres: while genres classify art according to subject matter or formal characteristics, movements are defined by the collective intentions or philosophies of artists of a particular historical period. General terms such as “modern art” are not tagged unless they refer to a specific movement.
Examples
The Lenbachhaus's description for Robert Delaunay's Fenêtres sur la ville (1914) provides a clear example:
Relations
has movement (work of art art movement)
See
Artistic Technique #
Description
method by which art is produced
Rules
We annotate both conventional techniques (e.g., “etching”) and experimental techniques (“impasto”), as well as those specific to particular cultures or historical periods. Tools (e.g., “brush” or “chisel”) are not tagged unless the tool is explicitly described as part of the method itself. General terms (e.g., “painting” or “sculpture”) are also not tagged unless they refer to a specific technique; instead, type of work of art should be used. Artistic techniques are distinguished from art movements and genres, which are tagged separately.
Examples
An example is the description of Rembrandt's Self Portrait (c. 1628) in the Rijksmuseum:
Relations
fabricated by (work of art artistic technique)
See
Type of Work of Art #
Description
type of art work based on shared characteristics, functions, or stylistic features
Rules
We tag specific types or categories of artworks (e.g., “painting” or “sculpture”), including more specific terms where available (e.g., “oil painting” or “marble sculpture”). General or vague terms such as “work” or “piece” are not tagged unless immediately followed by a specific type of artwork. Terms related to art genres, movements, or artistic techniques are not annotated as these are tagged separately. We also do not annotate references to literary or non-art objects (e.g., “book” or “manuscript”) unless they are explicitly regarded in context to be a type of work of art.
Examples
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Albrecht Dürer's Saint Eustace (c. 1501) is described as follows:
Relations
instance of (work of art type of work of art)
See
Work of Art #
Description
aesthetic item or artistic creation
Rules
We annotate titles or specific names of artworks (e.g., “Mona Lisa” or “The Sistine Chapel”) in both the metadata layer and the content layer. General references to instances of artworks (e.g., “painting”) are excluded; instead, type of work of art should be used. We do not tag references to art genres or movements, which are tagged separately.
Examples
One example is Albrecht Dürer's Melencolia I (1514) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
The tag always has to be annotated in both the metadata layer and the content layer:
See
Point in Time #
Description
position of a particular instant in time
Rules
We tag any specific date, year, or period directly related to a work of art. For exact dates (e.g., “12 April 1450”), we include the full date if available; otherwise, we annotate the most specific time reference, such as the year or century. If the text gives an approximate date or time period (e.g., “mid-16th century” or “circa 1890”), we also tag the approximate terms (e.g., “mid-,” “late,” and “circa”). Broader historical periods (e.g., “Renaissance” or “Baroque”) should also be tagged if they contribute to the temporal context of the artwork. We do not annotate vague references without a clear temporal marker (e.g., “many years ago”). Expressions that indicate the start time or end time of a work of art should be annotated as such.
Examples
The Städel Museum in Frankfurt provides a typical example with Dürer's Adam and Eve:
Relations
created in (work of art point in time)
See
Start Time #
Description
infimum of a temporal interval
Rules
We only annotate references that explicitly mark the start time of a work of art. Unspecified time references that indicate a point in time without clearly marking it as a starting point should not be annotated; instead, point in time should be used. All the rules outlined in point in time apply here as well.
Examples
Start times could refer to a point in time when an artist begins to work on an object, as in the following example:
Relations
created in (work of art start time)
See
End Time #
Description
time that some temporal entity ceases to exist
Rules
We only annotate references that explicitly mark the end time of a work of art. Unspecified time references that indicate a point in time without clearly marking it as an ending point should not be annotated; instead, point in time should be used. All the rules outlined in point in time apply here as well.
Examples
End Times could refer to a point in time when an artist ceases to work on an object, as in the following example:
Relations
created in (work of art end time)
See
Person #
Description
being that has certain capacities or attributes constituting personhood
Rules
We tag full names or parts of names (e.g., “Michelangelo” or “Leonardo da Vinci”) whenever they appear in connection with a work of art; this includes all historical figures mentioned in art-historical contexts. Titles or roles without personal names (e.g., “the king” or “the patron”) should not be annotated unless they are immediately followed by the name of a specific person. We do not annotate general roles or descriptors that refer to an unidentifiable person (e.g., “a famous artist”). If only a surname is given (e.g., “Raphael”), it should be tagged if the person is clearly identifiable. Persons depicted in the artwork itself should be tagged as person in the content layer.
Examples
The distinction between person in the metadata layer and the content layer is illustrated by the following example from Quinten Massys' Portrait of a Woman (c. 1520):
If the person referenced has no direct connection to the artwork, the name is not annotated:
To further illustrate the difference, consider the following description of Gustav Klimt's portrait of Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein (1905):
Relations
created by (work of art person)
influenced by (work of art person)