Introduction
The Visual Work API is a method of getting access to descriptions of image content, such as the appearance of paintings and two-dimensional artworks, sculptures and three-dimensional artworks, or digital images. The Visual Work model is of average complexity with many familiar properties and patterns, plus several additions to describe the visual work's relationship to other entities.
For more information about the usage of Visual Work data, please see the Object Aboutness model description.
Property Definitions
Dereferencing an entity via the Visual Work endpoint would result in a JSON-LD document containing a single JSON object with the following properties.
Properties of Visual 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 visual work's representation can be dereferenced |
type |
string | Required | The class for the visual work, which MUST be the value "VisualItem" |
_label |
string | Recommended | A human readable label for the visual work, intended for developers |
classified_as |
array | Recommended | An array of json objects, each of which is a classification of the visual 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 visual work and MUST follow the requirements for Name, or an identifier for the visual 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 visual 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 identity and description of the current visual work |
member_of |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a Set that the current visual work is a member of and MUST follow the requirements for a reference to a Set |
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 visual work, and MUST follow the requirements for a reference |
attributed_by |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a Relationship Assignment that relates the current visual work to another entity |
dimension |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a Dimension, such as abstract height or width, of the current visual work |
part_of |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to another Visual Work or a Textual Work that the current visual work is a part of |
about |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to another entity of any type, that this text is primarily about |
represents |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to another entity of any type, that this visual work represents or depicts |
represents_instance_of_type |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a type of another entity that this visual work represents or depicts, but where the individual is not known and MUST follow the requirements for Type |
created_by |
json object | Optional | A json object representing the creation of the text, which follows the requirements for Creations described below |
used_for |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a Publication Activity, which follows the requirements for Publications described below |
Properties of Creations, Publication Activities
Property Name | Datatype | Requirement | Description |
---|---|---|---|
id |
string | Optional | If present, the value MUST be a URI identifying the creation or publication |
type |
string | Required | The class for the creation, which MUST be the value "Creation" or "Activity" |
_label |
string | Recommended | A human readable label for the creation or publication, intended for developers |
identified_by |
array | Recommended | An array of json objects, each of which is a name for the creation or publication and MUST follow the requirements for Name, or an identifier for the creation or publication and MUST follow the requirements for Identifier |
classified_as |
array | Recommended | An array of json objects, each of which is a further classification of the creation or publication and MUST follow the requirements for Type |
timespan |
json object | Recommended | A json object recording when the creation or publication occured, which MUST follow the requirements for timespans |
during |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to a Period during which the activity occured |
referred_to_by |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is an embedded statement about the creation or publication |
took_place_at |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to a Place where the creation or publication occured |
caused_by |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to an Event that caused the creation or publication to occur |
influenced_by |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to an entity that influenced the creation or publication in some noticable fashion |
carried_out_by |
array | Optional | An array of json objects, each of which is a reference to a Person or Group that carried out the creation or publication |
Property Diagram
JSON Schema
See the schema documentation and the schema itself
Incoming Properties
Visual 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 image content.
Property Name | Source Endpoint | Description |
---|---|---|
representation |
All | Entities can be represented in visual content, in other words the content of an image that depicts them. |
shows |
Physical Object | A physical object can show visual content |
digitally_shows |
Digital Object | A digital object, similarly, can digitally show visual content |
Example
The JSON for a Visual Work entry for a visual content of Miro's "The Farm" 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 "VisualItem" - It has a
_label
with the value "Appearance of Miro's The Farm" for people reading the JSON - It is
classified_as
"Cubist", which has anid
of "aat:300021495", which is in turnclassified_as
being a Style ("aat:300015646") - It is
identified_by
aName
, with the content "Appearance of The Farm" - It is
referred_to_by
a statement which ...- ... has
content
of "A brilliant amalgamation of an intense ..." - ... is
classified_as
a Description ("aat:300435416")
- ... has
- It
represents
a Place, Mont-roig del Camp - It
represents_instance_of_type
Tree ("aat:300132410"), meaning there is a tree depicted but the tree has no separate identity beyond the content - It was
created_by
a Creation which ...- ... was
carried_out_by
Miro - ... had a
timespan
of between "1921-01-01" and "1922-12-31"
- ... was
{
"@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
"id": "https://linked.art/example/visual/0",
"type": "VisualItem",
"_label": "Appearance of Miro's The Farm",
"classified_as": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300021495",
"type": "Type",
"_label": "Cubist",
"classified_as": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300015646",
"type": "Type",
"_label": "Style"
}
]
}
],
"identified_by": [
{
"type": "Name",
"content": "Appearance of The Farm"
}
],
"referred_to_by": [
{
"type": "LinguisticObject",
"classified_as": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300435416",
"type": "Type",
"_label": "Description",
"classified_as": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300418049",
"type": "Type",
"_label": "Brief Text"
}
]
}
],
"content": "A brilliant amalgamation of an intense, even primitive, realism with the formal vocabulary of cubism."
}
],
"represents": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/tgn/7300934",
"type": "Place",
"_label": "Mont-roig del Camp"
}
],
"represents_instance_of_type": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300132410",
"type": "Type",
"_label": "Tree"
}
],
"shown_by": [
{
"id": "https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-69660",
"type": "HumanMadeObject",
"_label": "The Farm"
}
],
"created_by": {
"type": "Creation",
"timespan": {
"type": "TimeSpan",
"_label": "1921-1922",
"begin_of_the_begin": "1921-01-01T00:00:00Z",
"end_of_the_end": "1922-12-31T23:59:59Z"
},
"carried_out_by": [
{
"id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/ulan/500014094",
"type": "Person",
"_label": "Miro"
}
]
}
}