Overview
This data model provides a standardized schema for describing artworks, objects, and items within exhibition contexts in the Linked Open Exhibition ecosystem. It is aligned with three major sector standards:
- CIDOC CRM (Conceptual Reference Model) v7.1.3
- Wikibase4Research (WB4R) - NFDI4Culture platform
- Wikidata - WikiProject Exhibitions
Quick Reference: Schema Mappings
| Instance of |
P31:Q3305213 (artwork) |
E22_Man-Made_Object |
instance_of |
| Title |
P1476 |
P102_has_title (E35_Title) |
title |
| Creator |
P170 |
P14_carried_out_by (E39_Actor) |
author |
| Inception |
P571 |
P108_has_produced (E65_Creation) |
creation_date |
| Location |
P276/P1753 |
P87_is_identified_by (E53_Place) |
location |
| Collection |
P195 |
P46_is_composed_of (E18_Physical_Thing) |
collection |
| Main Subject |
P921 |
P129_is_about (E1_CRM_Entity) |
main_subject |
| Materials |
P186 |
P45_consists_of (E57_Material) |
material |
| Inventory Number |
P217 |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
inventory_number |
| Catalog Code |
P528 |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
catalog_code |
| Width |
P2049 |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
width |
| Height |
P2048 |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
height |
| Depth |
P2610 |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
depth |
| Part of Series |
P179 |
P108_has_produced (E65_Creation) |
part_of_series |
| Depicts |
P180 |
P129_is_about |
depicts |
| Image |
P18 |
E36_Visual_Item |
image |
| Described at |
P973 |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
described_at |
| Exhibited at |
P1431 |
E7_Activity (exhibition event) |
exhibition_history |
| Acquisition |
P1830 |
E8_Acquisition |
acquisition_event |
| Provenance |
P2670 |
P46_is_composed_of + provenance chain |
provenance |
| Previous Owner |
P127 |
P24_transferred_title_of (E8_Acquisition) |
previous_owner |
| Condition |
— |
E3_Condition_State |
condition |
| Date Entered Collection |
— |
E8_Acquisition + P4_has_time_span |
date_acquired |
Example: Hercules and Omphale by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Title: Hercules and Omphale
Creator: Lucas Cranach the Elder (Q191748)
Instance of: Painting (Q3305213)
Inception: 16th century
Current Location: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (Q160112)
Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum
Main Subject: Hercules and Omphale (Q117010959) / Greek mythology
Material: Oil on wood panel
Width: 210 cm
Height: 160 cm
Inventory Number: [Museum catalog number]
Image: [Wikimedia Commons: Hercules and Omphale by Lucas Cranach]
Described at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Paintings_of_Hercules_and_Omphale_by_Lucas_Cranach_(I)
Data Structure
1. Instance of Item
| German Label |
ist eine |
| English Label |
Instance of |
| Description |
The item is classified as an artwork or object |
| Data Type |
Item |
| Wikidata Property |
P31 |
| Recommended Values |
Q3305213 (painting), Q11410 (sculpture), Q14919 (relief), etc. |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P31:Q3305213 |
Instance of artwork type |
| CIDOC CRM |
E22_Man-Made_Object |
Object created by humans |
| WB4R |
instance_of |
Object type in Wikibase4Research |
2. Title
| German Label |
Titel |
| English Label |
Title |
| Description |
Official title or name of the artwork |
| Data Type |
Monolingual text |
| Wikidata Property |
P1476 |
| Format |
Text (multilingual titles supported) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P1476 |
Title of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
P102_has_title (E35_Title) |
Identifies artwork through naming |
| WB4R |
title |
Title property in WB4R |
3. Creator
| German Label |
Künstler/Creator |
| English Label |
Creator |
| Description |
Artist or person who created the artwork |
| Data Type |
Item (reference to person) |
| Wikidata Property |
P170 |
| Format |
Link to artist Wikidata item |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P170 |
Creator of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
P14_carried_out_by (E39_Actor) |
Person/actor carried out creation |
| WB4R |
author |
Creator in Wikibase4Research |
4. Inception Date
| German Label |
Entstehung |
| English Label |
Inception |
| Description |
Date or period when the artwork was created |
| Data Type |
Point in time or period |
| Wikidata Property |
P571 |
| Format |
YYYY, YYYY-MM, or YYYY-MM-DD |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P571 |
Inception date of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
P108_has_produced (E65_Creation) |
Creation event dates |
| WB4R |
creation_date |
Creation date in WB4R |
5. Current Location
| German Label |
Ort |
| English Label |
Location |
| Description |
Current museum or institution housing the item |
| Data Type |
Item (reference to place/institution) |
| Wikidata Property |
P276 (original location) / P1753 (current location) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P276 / P1753 |
Location/current location of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
P87_is_identified_by (E53_Place) |
Physical location |
| WB4R |
location |
Location property in WB4R |
6. Collection
| German Label |
Sammlung |
| English Label |
Collection |
| Description |
Museum or collection the item belongs to |
| Data Type |
Item (reference to institution/collection) |
| Wikidata Property |
P195 |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P195 |
Collection membership |
| CIDOC CRM |
P46_is_composed_of (E18_Physical_Thing) |
Part of collection |
| WB4R |
collection |
Collection in WB4R |
7. Main Subject
| German Label |
Thema |
| English Label |
Main subject |
| Description |
Primary subject or topic depicted in the artwork |
| Data Type |
Item |
| Wikidata Property |
P921 |
| Example |
Q117010959 (Hercules and Omphale) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P921 |
Main subject of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
P129_is_about (E1_CRM_Entity) |
Object is about entity |
| WB4R |
main_subject |
Subject reference in WB4R |
8. Materials
| German Label |
Material |
| English Label |
Material |
| Description |
Material(s) used to create the artwork |
| Data Type |
Item or text |
| Wikidata Property |
P186 |
| Examples |
Oil, canvas, bronze, marble, etc. |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P186 |
Material composition |
| CIDOC CRM |
P45_consists_of (E57_Material) |
Object consists of material |
| WB4R |
material |
Material in WB4R |
9. Inventory Number
| German Label |
Inventarnummer |
| English Label |
Inventory number |
| Description |
Museum catalog or inventory identifier |
| Data Type |
Text |
| Wikidata Property |
P217 |
| Format |
Alphanumeric identifier (museum-specific format) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P217 |
Inventory number |
| CIDOC CRM |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
Object identifier |
| WB4R |
inventory_number |
Inventory number in WB4R |
10. Catalog Code
| German Label |
Katalognummer |
| English Label |
Catalog code |
| Description |
Publication or exhibition catalog reference code |
| Data Type |
Text |
| Wikidata Property |
P528 |
| Format |
Alphanumeric reference |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P528 |
Catalog code |
| CIDOC CRM |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
Identifier reference |
| WB4R |
catalog_code |
Catalog code in WB4R |
11. Width
| German Label |
Breite |
| English Label |
Width |
| Description |
Width measurement of the artwork |
| Data Type |
Quantity |
| Wikidata Property |
P2049 |
| Format |
Numeric value with unit (cm, m, etc.) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P2049 |
Width of object |
| CIDOC CRM |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
Dimension specification |
| WB4R |
width |
Width in WB4R |
12. Height
| German Label |
Höhe |
| English Label |
Height |
| Description |
Height measurement of the artwork |
| Data Type |
Quantity |
| Wikidata Property |
P2048 |
| Format |
Numeric value with unit (cm, m, etc.) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P2048 |
Height of object |
| CIDOC CRM |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
Dimension specification |
| WB4R |
height |
Height in WB4R |
13. Depth
| German Label |
Tiefe |
| English Label |
Depth |
| Description |
Depth measurement of the artwork (for 3D objects) |
| Data Type |
Quantity |
| Wikidata Property |
P2610 |
| Format |
Numeric value with unit (cm, m, etc.) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P2610 |
Depth of object |
| CIDOC CRM |
P43_has_dimension (E54_Dimension) |
Dimension specification |
| WB4R |
depth |
Depth in WB4R |
14. Part of Series
| German Label |
Teil einer Serie |
| English Label |
Part of series |
| Description |
Series or collection grouping the item belongs to |
| Data Type |
Item |
| Wikidata Property |
P179 |
| Example |
Q131680678 (series or collection) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P179 |
Part of series |
| CIDOC CRM |
P108_has_produced (E65_Creation) |
Creation context |
| WB4R |
part_of_series |
Series membership in WB4R |
15. Depicts
| German Label |
Darstellen |
| English Label |
Depicts |
| Description |
Additional entities or persons depicted in the artwork |
| Data Type |
Item (multiple allowed) |
| Wikidata Property |
P180 |
| Examples |
Persons, mythological figures, events |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P180 |
Depicts entity |
| CIDOC CRM |
P129_is_about |
Content representation |
| WB4R |
depicts |
Depicted entities in WB4R |
16. Image
| German Label |
Bild |
| English Label |
Image |
| Description |
Digital image or photograph of the artwork |
| Data Type |
Commons media file |
| Wikidata Property |
P18 |
| Format |
Wikimedia Commons filename |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P18 |
Image of artwork |
| CIDOC CRM |
E36_Visual_Item |
Visual representation |
| WB4R |
image |
Image reference in WB4R |
17. Described at URL
| German Label |
Beschrieben auf |
| English Label |
Described at URL |
| Description |
Link to documentation or webpage describing the item |
| Data Type |
URL |
| Wikidata Property |
P973 |
| Format |
https://… |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P973 |
Described at URL |
| CIDOC CRM |
P1_is_identified_by (E42_Identifier) |
Digital identifier |
| WB4R |
described_at |
Reference URL in WB4R |
18. Exhibited at (Exhibition History)
| German Label |
Ausgestellt in |
| English Label |
Exhibited at |
| Description |
Exhibitions in which the item has been displayed |
| Data Type |
Item (multiple exhibitions allowed) |
| Wikidata Property |
P1431 |
| Format |
Links to exhibition Wikidata items with dates |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P1431 |
Exhibited at exhibition |
| CIDOC CRM |
E7_Activity (exhibition event) |
Object participated in exhibition event |
| WB4R |
exhibition_history |
Exhibition participation history |
19. Acquisition Event
| German Label |
Akquisition |
| English Label |
Acquisition |
| Description |
Event and details of how the item was acquired |
| Data Type |
Complex event (date, method, price, source) |
| Format |
Multiple dates and parties involved |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P1830 |
Acquisition event details |
| CIDOC CRM |
E8_Acquisition |
Formal acquisition event class |
| WB4R |
acquisition_event |
Acquisition in WB4R |
20. Provenance
| German Label |
Provenienz |
| English Label |
Provenance |
| Description |
Complete ownership and location history of the item |
| Data Type |
Chain of provenance events |
| Format |
Chronological sequence of previous owners/locations |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P2670 |
Provenance chain |
| CIDOC CRM |
P46_is_composed_of + provenance events |
Object’s history chain |
| WB4R |
provenance |
Provenance documentation |
21. Previous Owner
| German Label |
Früherer Besitzer |
| English Label |
Previous Owner |
| Description |
Person or institution who previously owned the item |
| Data Type |
Item (person or organization) |
| Wikidata Property |
P127 |
| Format |
Link to previous owner item |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
P127 |
Previous owner |
| CIDOC CRM |
P24_transferred_title_of (E8_Acquisition) |
Title transferred in acquisition |
| WB4R |
previous_owner |
Previous ownership record |
22. Condition State
| German Label |
Zustand |
| English Label |
Condition |
| Description |
Current conservation or condition status of the item |
| Data Type |
Text/Item |
| Format |
Condition assessment (excellent, good, fair, poor, damaged) |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
— |
Not directly mapped |
| CIDOC CRM |
E3_Condition_State |
Condition state class |
| WB4R |
condition |
Conservation condition in WB4R |
23. Date Entered Collection
| German Label |
Eingangsdatum |
| English Label |
Date Entered Collection |
| Description |
Date when the item was formally acquired or accessioned |
| Data Type |
Point in time |
| Format |
YYYY, YYYY-MM, or YYYY-MM-DD |
Schema Mappings
| Wikidata |
— |
Part of P1830 context |
| CIDOC CRM |
E8_Acquisition + P4_has_time_span |
Acquisition event time |
| WB4R |
date_acquired |
Acquisition date in WB4R |
Best Practices for Item Records
Creator Attribution: Always link to the artist’s Wikidata item (P170) to enable comprehensive artist profiles and work discovery.
Materials Specification: Use standardized material items (oil, canvas, bronze) rather than free text to enable material-based collection browsing and conservation research.
Dimensions: Record all three dimensions (width, height, depth) with consistent units (typically cm for smaller works, m for large installations) to support condition assessments and exhibition planning.
Exhibition History Documentation: Record all known exhibitions where the item has been displayed (P1431) with corresponding dates to support provenance research and exhibition network analysis.
Provenance Chain: Document the complete ownership history (P2670, P127) in chronological order from creation through current ownership. Flag items with gaps or uncertain provenance for curatorial review.
Acquisition Records: Link acquisition events (P1830) with date entered collection (acquisition dates) to establish clear accession points and support repatriation research where applicable.
Subject Classification: Use P921 for primary subject and P180 for depicted entities to enable thematic searching across exhibitions.
Inventory Standards: Maintain distinct inventory numbers (P217) and catalog codes (P528) to distinguish between institutional accession records and publication references.
Image Uploads: Always upload high-quality images to Wikimedia Commons (P18) to provide visual context and enhance global knowledge sharing.
Collection Cross-Reference: Link to both the holding institution (P276/P1753) and the broader collection (P195) to support organizational hierarchies.
URL Persistence: Use institutional persistent identifiers (DOI, UUID) when available to ensure long-term reference stability.
Condition Documentation: Record current condition status regularly and document any conservation treatments with dates to support curatorial decision-making and insurance records.
Attribution
This data model documentation was created with assistance from GitHub Copilot (powered by Claude Haiku 4.5). The model was aligned against sector standards including CIDOC CRM v7.1.3, Wikibase4Research, and Wikidata WikiProject Exhibitions guidelines through AI-assisted analysis and formatting.