The Navigating.art platform
Connected data for catalogues raisonnés, archives, and museum projects
The Navigating.art platform helps research teams organize art-historical data, connect it to supporting evidence, and publish selected research as a digital catalogue raisonné or archive.
Designed for catalogue raisonné teams, artist foundations, archives, and research institutions, the platform keeps artworks, sources, and conclusions connected from private research through public online publication.
See the Navigating.art platform in practice
Gauguin Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings, 1891–1903
The Gauguin catalogue raisonné uses the Navigating.art platform to connect artwork records with provenance, exhibition histories, bibliographies, and archival sources. Readers can examine individual paintings while following the evidence and relationships that place them within Gauguin’s wider life and work.
From research data to a digital catalogue raisonné
Here, data means consistently organized information about artwork, people, exhibitions, publications, and sources. The platform connects these records so teams can follow the evidence during research and readers can follow it in the published catalogue.
Organize and connect research data
Create separate records for artwork, exhibitions, auctions, publications, people, institutions, and archival materials. Connect related records so information can be entered once and used throughout the project.
This structure preserves the relationships among artwork, historical events, and supporting evidence.
Find information and follow evidence
Search across research data and digitized materials in multiple languages. Filters and connected records help researchers find relevant information and move directly between an artwork and its related sources.
Readers can also begin with a publication or archival document and discover the artwork connected to it.
Publish with detailed control
Publish selected records, relationships, and media as a digital catalogue raisonné, archive, or other scholarly resource.
Teams can use an included website template or create a custom website connected directly to their platform data. Sensitive, copyrighted, and unfinished material can remain restricted to authorized collaborators.
Continue developing after publication
A digital catalogue raisonné can continue to develop after its initial publication. Teams can add newly discovered evidence, revise conclusions, and publish updated records without rebuilding the resource.
Data can also be exported for print publication, external analysis, or use in other research contexts.
Built for long-term scholarship
Research projects change over time. The Navigating.art platform supports continuity during active research, publication, and the years that follow.
Your organization retains ownership of all data stored on the platform.
Existing data can be imported, and project data can be exported when needed.
Teams control which records and materials collaborators and readers can see.
Automatic daily backups help protect the research over time.
A completed or paused publication can remain online through the Legacy plan.
Navigating.art provides platform guidance throughout the project. Detailed instructions are also available in the Help Center.
Plans for different stages of research
Navigating.art bases its pricing on the costs of building and maintaining the platform and individual publications. We offer two editorial modes: premium and standard. Researchers can use both modes to contribute to their project; the only difference is the level of included on-demand services. Data migration is priced separately at €199 per hour, according to the work required.
Legacy mode is available for researchers who have paused active research but wish the publication to remain online and available for external readers.
| Included with each plan | Premium €6,000 per year | Standard €3,000 per year | Legacy €800 per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial access Create, connect, and edit project records | Included | Included | Not included |
| Online publication Website template, hosting, and maintenance | Included | Included | Included |
| Platform support Response within 24 hours on working days | Included | Included | Not included |
| Launch guidance Content structure, website text, checklist, and timeline | Included | €199/hour | Not included |
| Additional project guidance Individual questions and project planning | Included | €199/hour | €199/hour |
Data migration is priced separately at €199 per hour, according to the work required.
One possible twenty-year budget
The illustrative budget of €33,000 shows how a project can move between platform modes as active research pauses and resumes. The publication remains online throughout. Final costs depend on the modes selected, the duration of each stage, and any additional migration or support required.
Whether you are beginning a digital catalogue raisonné, organizing an existing archive, or preparing research for online publication, we would be glad to learn about your project.
Tell us what stage you are at, what data and source materials you are working with, and what you want readers to be able to find and understand.
Together, we can determine whether the Navigating.art platform is a good fit, what would be involved in organizing or migrating existing data, and which plan matches the current stage of the project.
Discuss your research project
Frequently asked questions
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We at Navigating.art will provide you with a template before you publish your digital publication. This template allows you to select content groups, add text pages, and define search functions.
For additional customization beyond these options, we can introduce you to an agency that can construct a custom site that connects with the platform through its API. The agency will collaborate with you to establish a budget for the project.
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Yes. Researchers have two options for data migration into the Navigating.art platform. We can provide a template for you and your team to fill out, and our team of experts will review the template and import it once finalized. Alternatively, the Navigating.art team can conduct the full migration process, including the preparation and organization of pre-existing data. Both services are priced hourly based on actual work performed.
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We designed the Navigating.art platform to help all our clients develop rigorous digital catalogue raisonné and archive projects with precision. You may suggest changes and new features, but we will consider those suggestions as we continue to improve the platform for all clients rather than create custom solutions for individual projects.
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Yes, although you may need to engage additional assistance. You can export your data from the Navigating.art platform and share that file with a team that can design the layout and coordinate with a printer.
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The client retains ownership of all data stored on the platform. Navigating.art has no ownership or other claim with respect to the data on the platform and is only responsible for running and maintaining the platform.
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Our tutorials remain available in the Help Center. These tutorials address general process questions and demonstrate how to use more complex functions. For example, you can find tips for documentation and how to set image previews. We have more than one hundred articles and add new content each week.
Research and guidance for digital art history
Digital projects require art historians to make decisions about data, access, standards, and long-term publication. We share research, case studies, and practical guidance that help scholars and institutions make those decisions with confidence.
From database to a global readership
Discover how the Akseli Gallen-Kallela catalogue raisonné project transformed a long-running scholarly record into a connected digital resource.
What a confidence score can’t tell you: AI and the authorship of paintings
Full artwork attributions and copyright information are available in the imprint.