Catalog raisonné

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A catalog raisonné is a directory of all works by an artist, mostly a visual artist , created according to scientific standards .

definition

In the fine arts, the terms catalog raisonné, catalog raisonné , œuvre catalog and œuvre catalog are used synonymously. In addition to catalogs raisonnés of an artist, often separated by type of art and technology (all paintings , all sculptures , all etchings, etc.), there are also catalogs raisonnés on archaeological objects (e.g. from a specific period), on inscriptions , on all works of a specific one Collection (so-called inventory catalog ) etc.

For the sake of simplicity, the example of a catalog raisonné of a single visual artist is explained below as a representative example.

When researching the history of art on a specific topic, such as an artist, the corresponding catalog raisonné serves as the starting point for all relevant data. Usually at least the following is listed for each work:

  • Illustration
  • title
  • Material / technology
  • Dimensions (H × W × D = height × width × depth)
  • Dating
  • Current location
  • Provenance
  • Literature in which the work was discussed
  • Issued by / in

The individual works are often given a consecutive number, sometimes this is assigned according to a certain scheme or supplemented with letters so that the number can be used to infer the genre of the work (e.g. if the numbers for paintings are preceded by a G, the Numbers for drawings, however, a Z etc.).

Since subsequent research on this artist is based on the catalog raisonné, a catalog raisonné must be created according to scientific standards, it must be complete and its information must be backed up by sources.

Because of their popularity, catalogs raisonnés are often only referred to by naming their author (e.g. “ Zervos ” for the paintings by Pablo Picasso ).

Only a few artists with significant art history have listed or had their own works listed in full, so that a catalog raisonné is directly available for them. (An example of this is Paul Klee ; in the case of the artists who are still alive, e.g. Gerhard Richter .) In the other cases, the catalogs raisonnés were created by other people. If the artist is already dead, this requires extensive preparatory work, since not all works may be publicly available and not all paintings may have images. It is therefore often not possible to provide all the information provided for all objects (see above).

In the case of individual works, it can also be a matter of dispute whether they come from the artist himself, from his workshop, from another artist of his time or whether they are copies or forgeries. In these cases a catalog raisonné should reflect the entire available knowledge. Therefore, in addition to his own handwritten works, he can also list in separate chapters those that are ascribed to the artist or that were previously ascribed to him; Even works that are known through illustrations or even written sources, but are lost in the original, should be included in a catalog raisonné.

In many cases, the level of knowledge changes a relatively short time after the publication of a catalog raisonné, for example when further works appear that would have to be added. Works can also be excluded because it turns out that they do not originate from the artist in question or are even forgeries, sometimes a work known only from written sources that has its own entry can be identified with another, also contained in the catalog, so that not here two, but only one work is available, etc. Therefore, supplementary volumes or new editions are often necessary.

The Rembrandt Research Project is an example of the particularly careful creation of a catalog raisonné by a long-dead artist .

The most extensive catalog raisonnés are certainly those of Joan Miró or Tsukioka Yoshitoshi .

Online or electronic catalog

There are increasing numbers of electronic work catalogs on the Internet that can be updated more quickly and adapted to a new state of research, while the new edition of a printed work catalog is expensive and time-consuming. Museums are therefore also starting to publish catalogs of works online, for example the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere , Vienna. However, a password is often required to use these electronic directories .

Example of a catalog raisonné by Egon Schiele accessible on the Internet without a password and the catalog by Paul Cézanne, accessible only with a password .

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Fritz Winter : Life and Work. With catalog raisonné of the paintings and an appendix of the other techniques. 532 S., Bruckmann, 1986, ISBN 3-7654-2029-8 .
  2. ^ Website of the Rembrandt Research Project , accessed on June 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ Catalog Raisonné of the Work of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
  4. ↑ Catalogs of works on Austrian art published by the Institute for Catalogs of Works.
  5. ^ Egon Schiele catalog raisonné
  6. ^ Paul Cézanne catalog raisonné