--- title: Agent roles for provenance events description: Learn about the different agent roles and how to add them to provenance events. --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/agent-roles-for-provenance-events#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Contact support](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [![NA+Logo+Large+White](https://knowledge.navigating.art/hs-fs/hubfs/NA+Logo+Large+White.png?width=53&height=50&name=NA+Logo+Large+White.png)](https://knowledge.navigating.art/?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Contact support](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/kb-tickets/new) Using the Navigating.art platform - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Center](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en?hsLang=en) 2. [Objects](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en) 3. [Provenance events](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#provenance-events) # Agent roles for provenance events ## Agents play a crucial role in provenance events, serving as essential components in documenting provenances. In this article you learn about the different agent roles and how to add them to provenance events. Agents can be added to all art events, but they are especially important for the description of provenances. There are three dedicated roles through which agents can be linked to provenance events: source, receiver, and sub-agent. Using other agent roles is also possible, but only these three dedicated roles will be reflected in the auto-generated provenance statement. Navigating.art’s structured data fields compile the provided information about source, receiver, and sub-agent to automatically generate a reference for each provenance transaction, eliminating the need to manually write the text. ![Screenshot 2025-02-20 at 16.28.26](https://knowledge.navigating.art/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-02-20%20at%2016.28.26.png?width=688&height=529&name=Screenshot%202025-02-20%20at%2016.28.26.png) ### Source The Source agent describes the previous owner or custodian of the artwork. This can be a person as well as an institution. For example in the case of the transaction type by descent this would be the person who died while they had complete ownership of the artwork. Example: **Lucie Smith** Stephen Smith, by descent from above (2020) ### Receiver The Receiver agent is the person or institution who becomes the new owner or custodian of the artwork. In our example of the transaction type by descent the artwork would be given to a family member of the previous owner (the Source) after the latter passed away. Thus this family member becomes the new owner and in our case the Receiver. Example: Lucie Smith **Stephen Smith**, by descent from above (2020) ### Sub-agent The optional role Sub-agent is available to connect third-party facilitators  to the transactions. A sub-agent could for example be a person who negotiated the transaction for their client (which would be linked as the receiver in the same event).  Example: Estate of Stephen Brown (1999-2010) Private collection, acquired from above **through David Johnson** (2010) ### Create a separate event for each transaction Make sure every owner is captured as a receiver in a separate provenance event. In cases where a source is also a previous owner, make sure that a separate, preceding provenance event naming them as a receiver has been entered. The repetition of the same agent as a receiver in one event and then as a source in the following event, creates a provenance chain that is reflected in the generated provenance statements. The separate event also allows you to describe the circumstances of how a source came into possession or became the owner of a work.  ### Keep reading: - [Adding a provenance](https://navigating.art/en/knowledge/tutorial/how-to-add-provenance) - [Provenance transaction types](https://navigating.art/en/knowledge/provenance-transaction-types) **Last updated**: February 20, 2025 - [General](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#main-content) - [First steps](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#first-steps) - [Quality assurance](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#quality-assurance) - [System updates & new features](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#system-updates-new-features) - [Technology](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#technology) - [FAQ](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/general?hsLang=en#faq) - [Objects](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Artwork images](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#artwork-images) - [Artwork Details](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#artwork-details) - [Art events](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#art-events) - [Provenance events](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#provenance-events) - [Exhibition events](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#exhibition-events) - [Publication Events](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#publication-events) - [Reports](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#reports) - [Indexing terms & other descriptions](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/objects?hsLang=en#indexing-terms-other-descriptions) - [Archive](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/archive?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Resource entries](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/archive?hsLang=en#resource-entries) - [Media and files](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/archive?hsLang=en#media-and-files) - [Publications](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/publications?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Introduction](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/publications?hsLang=en#introduction) - [Publication media](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/publications?hsLang=en#publication-media) - [Reports](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/publications?hsLang=en#reports) - [Agents](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/agents?hsLang=en) - [Auctions](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/auctions?hsLang=en) - [Exhibitions](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/exhibitions?hsLang=en) - [Master Data](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/master-data?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Geographic locations](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/master-data?hsLang=en#geographic-locations) - [Indexing terms](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/master-data?hsLang=en#indexing-terms) - [Notes](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/master-data?hsLang=en#notes) - [Artwork sets](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/master-data?hsLang=en#artwork-sets) - [Best practices](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/best-practices?hsLang=en#main-content) - [FAQs](https://knowledge.navigating.art/en/best-practices?hsLang=en#faqs) [![Logo](https://knowledge.navigating.art/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo.png?width=53&height=50&name=Logo.png "Logo")](https://navigating.art/) Copyright © 2025, HPF Innovations gGmbH