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How to add provenance information

Learn how to enter information about the provenance of an artwork..

 

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 more than 25 types of provenance events such as acquisition, bequest, gift, and consignment.

Find more information about the provenance types in the overview of provenance transaction types.

2. Fill in source-related details.

If a provenance event includes a known source, all details about this previous owner of the artwork and other relevant agents can be added. For this, choose from already existing agents or create a new agent. Once selected, further properties including address, dealer, and private collection can be added or 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.
You can add as many agents as necessary to describe the event in its full complexity.
 

3. Fill in receiver-related details.

The receiver of the artwork can be selected by choosing from already existing agents or creating a new agent. Once selected, details about the agent can be selected, as well as additional details about the provenance event including the date, a credit line, and a  reference URL.

If any of these agent roles do not apply, leave them empty. The level of certainty 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.

4. Alternative artwork details

If alternate artwork details arise in the context of the provenance event, such as an alternate title or alternate creation year, these can also be recorded. Select the information that you would like to add and save relevant details along the provenance event.

5. Notes and archival material

If any notes or archival resources should be added to the provenance event, you can record them via the respective notes, resource, or 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 enables direct linking the information to a primary source or other related material.