Digital art history resources

Research, practical guidance, and examples that help art historians understand and shape the digital methods used to preserve, connect, and publish knowledge.

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Resources
What a confidence score can’t tell you: AI and the authorship of paintings
Research and publications
What a confidence score can’t tell you: AI and the authorship of paintings
Research and publications

An AI confidence score describes a model’s classification, not the historical probability that an artist made a painting. This article explains what these systems measure and how they can support attribution research.

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Research and publications
Resources
What a confidence score can’t tell you: AI and the authorship of paintings
Research and publications
What a confidence score can’t tell you: AI and the authorship of paintings
Research and publications

An AI confidence score describes a model’s classification, not the historical probability that an artist made a painting. This article explains what these systems measure and how they can support attribution research.

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Research and publications
Who gets documented and how: a technical glimpse into 118 published digital catalogues raisonnés
Research and publications
Who gets documented and how: a technical glimpse into 118 published digital catalogues raisonnés
Research and publications

This study uses public website fingerprints to identify how 118 live digital catalogues raisonnés are published and which artists they document. It examines visible technology, not catalogue content, data quality, or internal research workflows.

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Research and publications
Almost frictionless: open access museum collections in practice in 2026
Research and publications
Almost frictionless: open access museum collections in practice in 2026
Research and publications

Five museums have opened valuable images and metadata, but access works differently in practice. This field report tests their APIs and documents the technical barriers researchers may encounter.

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Research and publications
State of the field: Digital catalogues raisonnés, 2020 - 2025
Research and publications
State of the field: Digital catalogues raisonnés, 2020 - 2025
Research and publications

Based on a 2025 field survey and recent publications, this report examines how digital catalogue raisonné teams approach funding, authority, technology, completion, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.

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Research and publications

Research and publications

Original research, reports, and critical essays about digital art history, access, authority, and emerging methods.

Resources
The Eva Gonzalès Digital Catalogue Raisonné: Her work, relationships, and legacy
Catalogues in practice
The Eva Gonzalès Digital Catalogue Raisonné: Her work, relationships, and legacy
Catalogues in practice

A close reading of the Eva Gonzalès Digital Catalogue Raisonné and what its works, sketchbooks, provenance records, and primary sources reveal about her artistic independence and legacy.

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Catalogues in practice
Advancing free scholarly access to art historical research materials: announcing the WPI Digital Library
Catalogues in practice
Advancing free scholarly access to art historical research materials: announcing the WPI Digital Library
Catalogues in practice

The WPI Digital Library brings more than 25,000 digitized publications into one freely accessible research platform. Full-text search, structured metadata, and connections to library networks improve discovery.

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Catalogues in practice
Bridging continents: expanding access to Frank Bowling's artwork with Mapping Frank Bowling
Catalogues in practice
Bridging continents: expanding access to Frank Bowling's artwork with Mapping Frank Bowling
Catalogues in practice

A case study of how the Frank Bowling Studio launched an expandable digital catalogue raisonné through institutional collaboration, verified records, and a strategic first publication.

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Catalogues in practice
Manoucher Yektai: a vision beyond borders
Catalogues in practice
Manoucher Yektai: a vision beyond borders
Catalogues in practice

The Manoucher Yektai digital catalogue raisonné documents an artistic practice shaped by Iran, France, and the United States. This project profile considers the estate’s evolving record and its significance for cross-cultural modernism.

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Catalogues in practice
WPI launches digital catalogue raisonné of Romare Bearden
Catalogues in practice
WPI launches digital catalogue raisonné of Romare Bearden
Catalogues in practice

WPI’s first release documents Bearden’s works from 1964 to 1969 and connects catalogue entries with the Romare Bearden Papers. The article examines incremental publication, archival evidence, and the project’s significance for scholarship on African American art.

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Catalogues in practice
Of creators and collectors: “Networks of Impressionism” unites technology and research to reveal interconnected stories
Catalogues in practice
Of creators and collectors: “Networks of Impressionism” unites technology and research to reveal interconnected stories
Catalogues in practice
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Catalogues in practice
The art of progress: benefits of incrementally publishing a digital catalogue raisonné
Catalogues in practice
The art of progress: benefits of incrementally publishing a digital catalogue raisonné
Catalogues in practice
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Catalogues in practice
The first publication of the Renoir digital catalogue raisonné from the Wildenstein Plattner Institute leverages expanded capabilities of the Navigating.art platform
Catalogues in practice
The first publication of the Renoir digital catalogue raisonné from the Wildenstein Plattner Institute leverages expanded capabilities of the Navigating.art platform
Catalogues in practice
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Catalogues in practice

Digital catalogues in practice

How research organizations use connected data and digital publication to make scholarship available and useful.

Resources
Digital asset management for catalogues raisonnés
Practical guidance
Digital asset management for catalogues raisonnés
Practical guidance

Digital asset management keeps each catalogue image connected to its metadata, rights, identifiers, and publication uses. This guide explains the asset lifecycle and the questions teams should ask before choosing a system.

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Practical guidance
Frequently asked questions: Digital catalogue raisonné software and technology
Practical guidance
Frequently asked questions: Digital catalogue raisonné software and technology
Practical guidance

Concise answers for scholars, estates, and institutions comparing digital catalogue raisonné technology, including what different approaches require and what to ask before committing.

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Practical guidance
A guide to choosing a digital strategy for your catalogue raisonné
Practical guidance
A guide to choosing a digital strategy for your catalogue raisonné
Practical guidance

A practical comparison of three technical approaches, with questions to help research leaders weigh organizational capacity, cost, sustainability, and scholarly fit.

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Practical guidance
CARE data practices for art researchers
Practical guidance
CARE data practices for art researchers
Practical guidance

Learn how CARE principles guide ethical art research through collective benefit, authority to control, responsibility, and Indigenous data sovereignty.

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Practical guidance
Introduction to FAIR data principles for art researchers
Practical guidance
Introduction to FAIR data principles for art researchers
Practical guidance

FAIR principles offer art researchers a practical framework for managing and sharing research data. This introduction explains each principle and identifies realistic first steps for improving metadata, access, interoperability, and reuse.

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Practical guidance
Standardized data in art research and digital catalogues raisonnés
Practical guidance
Standardized data in art research and digital catalogues raisonnés
Practical guidance
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Practical guidance
The foundations of SEO for art historians working on digital projects
Practical guidance
The foundations of SEO for art historians working on digital projects
Practical guidance
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Practical guidance
Demystifying metadata: a practical introduction for art researchers
Practical guidance
Demystifying metadata: a practical introduction for art researchers
Practical guidance
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Practical guidance

Practical guidance

Clear explanations that help research teams make informed decisions about data, digital tools, and publication.

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The complete chronological archive includes research, guidance, project articles, news, and field notes.