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Abstract Works

Introduction

The Abstract Work API is a method of getting access to descriptions of abstract or conceptual works and especially when those works are instantiated by activities rather than physical or digital objects. Examples are the "idea" behind an exhibition, the general concept of a piece of performance art rather than the activity which enacts that idea, or the most general form of a work without specifically being composed of image or language. Abstract works are thus not frequently used but are necessary to connect instances of the work, such as a travelling exhibition or different performances of the same idea.

For more information about the usage of Abstract Work, please see the Document model description.

Property Definitions

Dereferencing an entity via the Abstract Work endpoint would result in a JSON-LD document containing a single JSON object with the following properties.

Properties of Abstract Works

Property Name Datatype Requirement Description
@context string, array Required The value MUST be the URI of the Linked Art context as a string, "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json" or an array in which the URI is the last entry to allow for extensions
id string Required The value MUST be the HTTP(S) URI at which the work's representation can be dereferenced
type string Required The class for the work, which MUST be the value "PropositionalObject"
_label string Recommended A human readable label for the work, intended for developers
classified_as array Recommended An array of json objects, each of which is a classification of the work and MUST follow the requirements for Type
identified_by array Recommended An array of json objects, each of which is a name/title of the work and MUST follow the requirements for Name, or an identifier for the work and MUST follow the requirements for Identifier
referred_to_by array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a human readable statement about the work and MUST follow the requirements for Statement
equivalent array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to an external URI that also identifies the current work
subject_of array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to a Textual Work, the content of which focuses on the current abstract work, and MUST follow the requirements for a reference
representation array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to a Visual Work that represents the current work, and MUST follow the requirements for a reference
member_of array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a Set that the current work is a member of and MUST follow the requirements for a reference to a Set
attributed_by array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a Relationship Assignment that relates the current work to another entity
dimension array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is an abstract Dimension of the current work
conceptually_part_of array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to another Abstract Work that the current work is conceptually part of
about array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to another entity of any type, that this work is primarily about
subject_to array Optional An array of json objects, each of which is a Right that is held over the intellectual work
created_by json object Optional A json object representing the creation of the work, which follows the requirements for a Creation

Property Diagram

diagram

JSON Schema

See the schema documentation and the schema itself

Incoming Properties

Abstract Work instances are typically found as the object of the following properties, other than the self-referential properties above. This list is not exhaustive, but is intended to cover the likely cases where other endpoints refer to texts.

Property Name Source Endpoint Description
about Textual Work Textual works can be about abstract works
influenced_by Activity Activities (such as Exhibitions) can be influenced by the abstract work

Example

The JSON for an Abstract Work entry for the idea for an exhibition about Gainsborough could be as below.

  • It has the Linked Art context document reference in @context
  • It self-documents its URI in id
  • It has a type of "PropositionalObject"
  • It has a _label with the value "Gainsborough Exh." for people reading the JSON
  • It is classified_as an Exhibition, which has an id of "aat:300417531"
  • It is identified_by ...
    • ... a Name, with the content "Gainsborough Exhibition"
  • It is referred_to_by a statement which ...
    • ... has content describing the abstract work
    • ... and is classified_as an abstract ("aat:300418049")
  • It is about Gainsborough, a Person with id "ulan:500115200"
  • It was created_by a Creation which ...
    • ... was carried_out_by Brett Hayes, a Person
{
  "@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
  "id": "https://linked.art/example/concept/0",
  "type": "PropositionalObject",
  "_label": "Gainsborough Exh.",
  "classified_as": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300417531",
      "type": "Type",
      "_label": "Exhibition"
    }
  ],
  "identified_by": [
    {
      "type": "Name",
      "classified_as": [
        {
          "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300404670",
          "type": "Type",
          "_label": "Primary Name"
        }
      ],
      "content": "Gainsborough Exhibition"
    }
  ],
  "referred_to_by": [
    {
      "type": "LinguisticObject",
      "classified_as": [
        {
          "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300026032",
          "type": "Type",
          "_label": "Abstract",
          "classified_as": [
            {
              "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300418049",
              "type": "Type",
              "_label": "Brief Text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "content": "A thorough analysis of the artist's life and work"
    }
  ],
  "about": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/ulan/500115200",
      "type": "Person",
      "_label": "Gainsborough, Thomas"
    }
  ],
  "created_by": {
    "type": "Creation",
    "carried_out_by": [
      {
        "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/ulan/500144588",
        "type": "Person",
        "_label": "Hayes, Brett"
      }
    ]
  }
}

graph TD classDef object stroke:black,fill:#E1BA9C,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef actor stroke:black,fill:#FFBDCA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef type stroke:red,fill:#FAB565,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef name stroke:orange,fill:#FEF3BA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef dims stroke:black,fill:#c6c6c6,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef infoobj stroke:#907010,fill:#fffa40,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef timespan stroke:blue,fill:#ddfffe,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef place stroke:#3a7a3a,fill:#aff090,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef event stroke:#1010FF,fill:#96e0f6,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef literal stroke:black,fill:#f0f0e0; classDef classstyle stroke:black,fill:white; O1(concept/0) class O1 infoobj; O1-- type -->O1_0[PropositionalObject] class O1_0 classstyle; O1-- _label -->O1_4("''Gainsborough Exh.''") class O1_4 literal; O2(aat:300417531) class O2 type; O2-- type -->O2_0[Type] class O2_0 classstyle; O2-- _label -->O2_3("''Exhibition''") class O2_3 literal; O1-- classified_as -->O2 O3( _ ) class O3 name; O3-- type -->O3_0[Name] class O3_0 classstyle; O4(aat:300404670) class O4 type; O4-- type -->O4_0[Type] class O4_0 classstyle; O4-- _label -->O4_3("''Primary Name''") class O4_3 literal; O3-- classified_as -->O4 O3-- content -->O3_3("''Gainsborough Exhibition''") class O3_3 literal; O1-- identified_by -->O3 O5( _ ) class O5 infoobj; O5-- type -->O5_0[LinguisticObject] class O5_0 classstyle; O6(aat:300026032) class O6 type; O6-- type -->O6_0[Type] class O6_0 classstyle; O6-- _label -->O6_3("''Abstract''") class O6_3 literal; O7(aat:300418049) class O7 type; O7-- type -->O7_0[Type] class O7_0 classstyle; O7-- _label -->O7_3("''Brief Text''") class O7_3 literal; O6-- classified_as -->O7 O5-- classified_as -->O6 O5-- content -->O5_3("''A thorough analysis of the artist's life and work''") class O5_3 literal; O1-- referred_to_by -->O5 O8(ulan:500115200) class O8 actor; O8-- type -->O8_0[Person] class O8_0 classstyle; O8-- _label -->O8_3("''Gainsborough, Thomas''") class O8_3 literal; O1-- about -->O8 O9( _ ) class O9 event; O9-- type -->O9_0[Creation] class O9_0 classstyle; O10(ulan:500144588) class O10 actor; O10-- type -->O10_0[Person] class O10_0 classstyle; O10-- _label -->O10_3("''Hayes, Brett''") class O10_3 literal; O9-- carried_out_by -->O10 O1-- created_by -->O9
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