Let's have a look at how you can enter information about the provenance of an artwork.
Step 1 - Select the provenance type
For any new provenance event, the transaction type needs to be selected first, which then defines the set of information that has to be added in the next step. On the Navigating.art platform you can select from 25+ different provenance event types such as Acquisition, Bequest, Gift, Consignment - among others.
You will find more information about the provenance types in the overview of provenance transaction types!
Step 2 - Fill in source related details
If your provenance event includes a known source, all details about this previous owner of the artwork and other relevant agents can be added. For this, you can choose from already existing agents or create a new agent. Once selected, further properties like address, dealer, or private collection can be added and selected.
- The dealer checkbox highlights the selected agent as a dealer in the transaction.
- The private collection checkbox will hide all personal agent details such as the name and display “private collection” instead.
Step 3 - Fill in receiver related details
Similarly to the source, the receiver of the artwork can be selected by choosing from already existing agents or creating a new agent. Once selected, again, details about the agent can be selected, as well as additional details about the provenance event such as the date, a credit line or reference URL.
If any of these agent roles do not apply to your case, leave them empty and enter only what you know. Uncertainties can also be documented by checking “questionable” in the agent settings or marking the whole event as “possibly”. It is up to you if you want to publish unverified information or keep it internal until further research has been conducted.
Step 4 - Alternative artwork details
If alternate artwork details come up in the context of the provenance event, such as an alternate title or alternate creation year, these can also be captured. For this, select the information that you would like to add and save relevant details along the provenance event.
Step 5 - Notes and archival material
Finally, if any notes or archival resources should be added to the provenance event, you can capture them via the respective notes or resource & media sections. Notes give you the opportunity to explain the circumstances further, or add internal comments for documentation. Connecting resources and media to your provenance entry allows linking the information directly to a primary source or other related material.