WebSchemas/VisualArtwork
Overview
This was a proposal for a new Type: Thing > CreativeWork > VisualArtwork ... successfully added Feb 2015: http://schema.org/docs/releases.html#v1.93
This page is preserved for historical reasons in its original form. I am aware that there are already sub-Types for "Painting", "Sculpture", and "Photograph", but this doesn't seem like a viable way forward. There are many other types of artwork (printmaking, drawing, collage, assemblage, digital art, etc.) and it seems illogical to create new Types for each artform.
So my proposal is for the 'VisualArtwork' Type to be used instead of "Painting" or "Sculpture", and instead of "Photograph" where the photograph in question is being presented in context as an artwork as opposed to forensic photography, etc.
A number of additional properties would enable a wider range of visual artwork media to use this type, and provide more information about the artwork being described.
Status
- machine-readable schema - first draft RDFS
- august 2014 update (ported to github/appengine, added examples)
- 2014-08-19: Added JSON-LD, Microdata version of examples
- TODO: Figure out what to do about artEdition --- is it a concept that generalizes to other CreativeWork types?
Vocabulary
Thing > CreativeWork > VisualArtwork
All properties inherited from Thing and CreativeWork, plus these additional properties
| Property | Expected Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Properties from VisualArtwork | ||
| artform | Text, URL, Intangible | e.g. Painting, Drawing, Scupture, Print, Photograph, Assemblage, Collage, etc. |
| material | Text, URL, Intangible | A material/medium which which the artwork is made e.g. Oil, Watercolour, Acrylic, Linoprint, Marble, Cyanotype, Digital, Lithograph, DryPoint, Intaglio, Pastel, Woodcut, Pencil, etc. A mixed media piece of artwork can have multiple materials. |
| surface | Text, URL, Intangible | the surface or support on which the artwork is made e.g. Canvas, Paper, Wood, Board, etc. |
| width | Distance | width of the artwork |
| height | Distance | height of the artwork |
| depth | Distance | depth of the artwork |
| artEdition | Number | The number of copies when multiple copies of a piece of artwork are produced - e.g. for a limited edition of 20 prints, 'artEdition' refers to the total number of copies (in this example "20"). |
| colorPalette | colorPalette | Color Palette for the artwork NOTE: Consensus was not reached on the colorPalette property so it has been dropped, at least from the initial version |
Some examples:
Example Markup
A Painting
Fairly straightforward painting
Without Markup
<div>
<h1 lang="fr">La trahison des images </h1>
<p>
A painting also known as The Treason of Images or
The Treachery of Images.
</p>
<img src="http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MagrittePipe.jpg" />
<div>
<p>
The painting shows a pipe. Below it, Magritte painted,
<q lang="fr">Ceci n'est pas une pipe.</q>, French for
"This is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
His statement is taken to mean that the painting itself is not a pipe.
The painting is merely an image of a pipe. Hence, the description,
"this is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
Similarly, the image shown above is neither a pipe nor even a painting,
but rather a digital photograph.
</p>
<p>
The painting is sometimes given as an example of meta message conveyed
by paralanguage. Compare with Korzybski's <q>The word is not the thing</q>
and <q>The map is not the territory</q>.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist: <a href="https://www.freebase.com/m/06h88">René Magritte</a></li>
<li>Dimensions: 940 mm × 635 mm</li>
<li>Materials: oil on canvas</li>
</ul>
</div>
Microdata
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/VisualArtwork">
<link itemprop="sameAs" href="http://rdf.freebase.com/rdf/m.0439_q" />
<h1 itemprop="name" lang="fr">La trahison des images </h1>
<p>
A <span itemprop="artform">painting</span> also known as
<span>The Treason of Images</span> or
<span itemprop="alternateName">The Treachery of Images</span>.
</p>
<img itemprop="image" src="http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MagrittePipe.jpg" />
<div itemprop="description">
<p>
The painting shows a pipe. Below it, Magritte painted,
<q lang="fr">Ceci n'est pas une pipe.</q>, French for
"This is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
His statement is taken to mean that the painting itself is not a pipe.
The painting is merely an image of a pipe. Hence, the description,
"this is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
Similarly, the image shown above is neither a pipe nor even a painting,
but rather a digital photograph.
</p>
<p>
The painting is sometimes given as an example of meta message conveyed
by paralanguage. Compare with Korzybski's <q>The word is not the thing</q>
and <q>The map is not the territory</q>.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span itemprop="creator" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<a itemprop="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/06h88">
<span itemprop="name">René Magritte</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
<li>Dimensions:
<span itemprop="width" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Distance">940 mm</span> ×
<span itemprop="height" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Distance">635 mm</span>
</li>
<li>Materials:
<span itemprop="material">oil</span> on <span itemprop="surface">canvas</span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
RDFa
<div vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="VisualArtwork">
<link property="sameAs" href="http://rdf.freebase.com/rdf/m.0439_q" />
<h1 property="name" lang="fr">La trahison des images </h1>
<p>
A <span property="artform">painting</span> also known as
<span>The Treason of Images</span> or
<span property="alternateName">The Treachery of Images</span>.
</p>
<img property="image" src="http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MagrittePipe.jpg" />
<div property="description">
<p>
The painting shows a pipe. Below it, Magritte painted,
<q lang="fr">Ceci n'est pas une pipe.</q>, French for
"This is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
His statement is taken to mean that the painting itself is not a pipe.
The painting is merely an image of a pipe. Hence, the description,
"this is not a pipe."
</p>
<p>
Similarly, the image shown above is neither a pipe nor even a painting,
but rather a digital photograph.
</p>
<p>
The painting is sometimes given as an example of meta message conveyed
by paralanguage. Compare with Korzybski's <q>The word is not the thing</q>
and <q>The map is not the territory</q>.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span property="creator" typeof="Person">
<a property="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/06h88">
<span property="name">René Magritte</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
<li>Dimensions:
<span property="width" typeof="Distance">940 mm</span> ×
<span property="height" typeof="Distance">635 mm</span>
</li>
<li>Materials:
<span property="material">oil</span> on <span property="surface">canvas</span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
JSON-LD
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "VisualArtwork",
"name": "La trahison des images",
"alternateName": "The Treachery of Images",
"image": "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MagrittePipe.jpg",
"description": "The painting shows a pipe. Below it, Magritte...",
"creator": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "René Magritte",
"sameAs": "https://www.freebase.com/m/06h88"
}
],
"width": [
{
"@type": "Distance",
"name": "940 mm"
}
],
"height": [
{
"@type": "Distance",
"name": "635 mm"
}
],
"material": "oil",
"surface": "canvas"
}
</script>
VRA 4.0 XML using Getty AAT structured vocabulary
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<vra xmlns="http://www.vraweb.org/vracore4.htm"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.vraweb.org/vracore4.htm
http://gort.ucsd.edu/escowles/vracore4/vra-4.0-restricted.xsd">
<work id="work_id_1234">
<agentSet>
<agent>
<name>Magritte, René</name>
</agent>
</agentSet>
<dateSet>
<date>
<earliestDate>1928</earliestDate>
<latestDate>1929</latestDate>
</date>
</dateSet>
<descriptionSet>
<description>The painting shows a pipe. Below it, Magritte...</description>
</descriptionSet>
<materialSet>
<material type="medium" vocab="AAT" refid="300015050">oil paint</material>
<material type="support" vocab="AAT" refid="300014078">canvas</material>
</materialSet>
<measurementSet>
<measurements type="height" unit="mm" extent="overall">635</measurements>
<measurements type="width" unit="mm" extent="overall">940</measurements>
</measurementSet>
<titleSet>
<title>La trahison des images</title>
</titleSet>
<worktypeSet>
<worktype vocab="AAT" refid="300033799">oil painting</worktype>
</worktypeSet>
</work>
<image>
<relationSet>
<relation type="imageOf" relids="work_id_1234">La trahison des images</relation>
</relationSet>
<sourceSet>
<source>
<refid type="URI">http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/MagrittePipe.jpg</refid>
</source>
</sourceSet>
<worktypeSet>
<worktype vocab="AAT" refid="300215302">digital image</worktype>
</worktypeSet>
</image>
</vra>
Multiple materials
A piece of Installation Art which uses multiple instances of the material property
Without Markup
<div>
<h1>My Bed</h1>
<p>
My Bed, first created in <time datetime="1998">1998</time>,
is an installation by the British artist Tracey Emin.
</p>
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Emin-My-Bed.jpg" />
<div>
<p>
<cite>My Bed</cite> was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in
<time datetime="1998">1999</time> as one
of the shortlisted works for the Turner Prize. It consisted of her
bed with bedroom objects in an abject state, and gained much media
attention. Although it did not win the prize, its notoriety has
persisted.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist: <a href="https://www.freebase.com/m/015sxw">Tracey Emin</li>
</ul>
<p>
The artwork generated considerable media furore, particularly over the
fact that the bedsheets were stained with bodily secretions and the floor
had items from the artist's room (such as condoms, a pair of knickers with
menstrual period stains, other detritus, and functional, everyday objects,
including a pair of slippers). The bed was presented in the state that
Emin claimed it had been when she said she had not got up from it for
several days due to suicidal depression brought on by relationship
difficulties.
</p>
</div>
Microdata
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/VisualArtwork">
<link itemprop="sameAs" href="http://rdf.freebase.com/rdf/m.0dbwsn" />
<h1 itemprop="name">My Bed</h1>
<p>
My Bed, first created in <time itemprop="dateCreated" datetime="1998">1998</time>,
is an <span itemprop="artform">installation</span> by the British artist Tracey Emin.
</p>
<img itemprop="image" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Emin-My-Bed.jpg" />
<div itemprop="description">
<p>
<cite>My Bed</cite> was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in
<time datetime="1998">1999</time> as one
of the shortlisted works for the Turner Prize. It consisted of her
bed with bedroom objects in an abject state, and gained much media
attention. Although it did not win the prize, its notoriety has
persisted.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span itemprop="creator" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<a itemprop="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/015sxw">
<span itemprop="name">Tracey Emin</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
The artwork generated considerable media furore, particularly over the
fact that the <span itemprop="material">bedsheets</span> were stained
with bodily secretions and the floor had items from the artist's room
(such as <span itemprop="material">condoms</span>,
<span itemprop="material">a pair of knickers</span> with menstrual
period stains, other detritus, and functional, everyday objects,
including a <span itemprop="material">pair of slippers</span>). The
<span itemprop="material">bed</span> was presented in the state that
Emin claimed it had been when she said she had not got up from it for
several days due to suicidal depression brought on by relationship
difficulties.
</p>
</div>
RDFa
<div vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="VisualArtwork">
<link property="sameAs" href="http://rdf.freebase.com/rdf/m.0dbwsn" />
<h1 property="name">My Bed</h1>
<p>
My Bed, first created in <time property="dateCreated" datetime="1998">1998</time>,
is an <span property="artform">installation</span> by the British artist Tracey Emin.
</p>
<img property="image" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Emin-My-Bed.jpg" />
<div property="description">
<p>
<cite>My Bed</cite> was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in
<time datetime="1998">1999</time> as one
of the shortlisted works for the Turner Prize. It consisted of her
bed with bedroom objects in an abject state, and gained much media
attention. Although it did not win the prize, its notoriety has
persisted.
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span property="creator" typeof="Person">
<a property="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/015sxw">
<span property="name">Tracey Emin</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
The artwork generated considerable media furore, particularly over the
fact that the <span property="material">bedsheets</span> were stained
with bodily secretions and the floor had items from the artist's room
(such as <span property="material">condoms</span>,
<span property="material">a pair of knickers</span> with menstrual
period stains, other detritus, and functional, everyday objects,
including a <span property="material">pair of slippers</span>). The
<span property="material">bed</span> was presented in the state that
Emin claimed it had been when she said she had not got up from it for
several days due to suicidal depression brought on by relationship
difficulties.
</p>
</div>
JSON-LD
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "VisualArtwork",
"sameAs": "http://rdf.freebase.com/rdf/m.0dbwsn",
"name": "My Bed",
"dateCreated": "1998",
"artform": "installation",
"image": "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Emin-My-Bed.jpg",
"description": "My Bed was exhibited at the Tate Gallery in...",
"creator": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Tracey Emin",
"sameAs": "https://www.freebase.com/m/015sxw"
}
],
"material": "bedsheets",
"material": "condoms",
"material": "a pair of knickers",
"material": "pair of slippers",
"material": "bed"
}
</script>
artEdition
Example showing artEdition property in use for a piece of artwork that was created as a series of multiple identical items
Without Markup
<div>
<h1>Still Life under the Lamp</h1>
<p>
Print from <time datetime="1962">1962</time>
by Pablo Picasso. Numbered from the edition of 50,
each signed by the artist in pencil, lower right: Picasso.
</p>
<img src="http://www.pada.net/Photos/38/Full/picasso.lamp.jpg" />
<div>
<p>
<cite>Still Life under the Lamp</cite>, from 1962, made when the artist
was eighty years old, are counted among Picasso’s most important works
in linocut, a technique that he explored in the late 1950s and early
1960s. The progressive proofs show the step by step sequence by which
Picasso created his linocut images showing the development of the
image into its final form.
</p>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist: <a href="https://www.freebase.com/m/07pj7mx">Pablo Picasso</li>
<li>Dimensions: 25 3/16 inches × 20 3/4 inches</li>
<li>Materials: linoprint on paper</li>
<li>
See also <a href="http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367">here</a>
and <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/press_releases/2014/picasso_linocuts.aspx">here</a>.
</ul>
</div>
Microdata
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/VisualArtwork">
<link itemprop="sameAs" href="http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367" />
<h1 itemprop="name">Still Life under the Lamp</h1>
<p>
<span itemprop="artform">Print</span> from <time itemprop="dateCreated" datetime="1962">1962</time>
by Pablo Picasso. Numbered from the edition of <span itemprop="artEdition">50</span>,
each signed by the artist in pencil, lower right: Picasso.
</p>
<img itemprop="image" src="http://www.pada.net/Photos/38/Full/picasso.lamp.jpg" />
<div itemprop="description">
<p>
<cite>Still Life under the Lamp</cite>, from 1962, made when the artist
was eighty years old, are counted among Picasso’s most important works
in linocut, a technique that he explored in the late 1950s and early
1960s. The progressive proofs show the step by step sequence by which
Picasso created his linocut images showing the development of the
image into its final form.
</p>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span itemprop="creator" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<a itemprop="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/07pj7mx">
<span itemprop="name">Pablo Picasso</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
<li>Dimensions:
<span itemprop="width" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Distance">25 3/16 inches</span> ×
<span itemprop="height" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Distance">20 3/4 inches</span>
</li>
<li>Materials:
<span itemprop="material">linoprint</span> on <span itemprop="surface">paper</span>
</li>
<li>
See also <a href="http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367">here</a>
and <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/press_releases/2014/picasso_linocuts.aspx">here</a>.
</ul>
</div>
RDFa
<div vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="VisualArtwork">
<link property="sameAs" href="http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367" />
<h1 property="name">Still Life under the Lamp</h1>
<p>
<span property="artform">Print</span> from <time property="dateCreated" datetime="1962">1962</time>
by Pablo Picasso. Numbered from the edition of <span property="artEdition">50</span>,
each signed by the artist in pencil, lower right: Picasso.
</p>
<img property="image" src="http://www.pada.net/Photos/38/Full/picasso.lamp.jpg" />
<div property="description">
<p>
<cite>Still Life under the Lamp</cite>, from 1962, made when the artist
was eighty years old, are counted among Picasso’s most important works
in linocut, a technique that he explored in the late 1950s and early
1960s. The progressive proofs show the step by step sequence by which
Picasso created his linocut images showing the development of the
image into its final form.
</p>
</div>
<ul>
<li>Artist:
<span property="creator" typeof="Person">
<a property="sameAs" href="https://www.freebase.com/m/07pj7mx">
<span property="name">Pablo Picasso</span>
</a>
</span>
</li>
<li>Dimensions:
<span property="width" typeof="Distance">25 3/16 inches</span> ×
<span property="height" typeof="Distance">20 3/4 inches</span>
</li>
<li>Materials:
<span property="material">linoprint</span> on <span property="surface">paper</span>
</li>
<li>
See also <a href="http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367">here</a>
and <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/press_releases/2014/picasso_linocuts.aspx">here</a>.
</ul>
</div>
JSON-LD
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "http://schema.org",
"@type": "VisualArtwork",
"sameAs": "http://www.pada.net/members/memPicFull.php/38/367",
"name": "Still Life under the Lamp",
"dateCreated": "1962",
"artform": "print",
"artEdition": "50",
"image": "http://www.pada.net/Photos/38/Full/picasso.lamp.jpg",
"description": "Still Life under the Lamp, from 1962, made when...",
"creator": [
{
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Pablo Picasso",
"sameAs": "https://www.freebase.com/m/07pj7mx"
}
],
"width": [
{
"@type": "Distance",
"name": "25 3/16 inches"
}
],
"height": [
{
"@type": "Distance",
"name": "20 3/4 inches"
}
],
"material": "linoprint",
"surface": "paper"
}
</script>
Early Color Palette proposal
NOTE: Consensus was not reached on the colorPalette property so it has been dropped, at least from the initial version
The color palette information would be very useful to classify, categorize and index artwork by colors. I have provided an example of how this structure could look:
<span itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorPalette"<http://schema.org/ColorPalette>>
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorSwatch"<http://schema.org/ColorSwatch>> #3366FF Sky Blue 30%
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorSwatch"<http://schema.org/ColorSwatch>> #F5B800 Gold 25%
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorSwatch"<http://schema.org/ColorSwatch>> #F5003D Crimson Red 20%
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorSwatch"<http://schema.org/ColorSwatch>> #B8F500 Lime 15%
<div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ColorSwatch"<http://schema.org/ColorSwatch>> #F500B8 Fuschia 10%
Discussion
Posted to public-vocabs on May 7, 2013: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-vocabs/2013May/0024.html Discussion on colorpalette property added to VisualArtwork: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-vocabs/2013Jun/0084.html