Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Getty Provenance Index and how is it used?
The Getty Provenance Index® provides open access to millions of richly curated records that document historic transfers of art ownership. It is used to trace the ownership, movement, and histories of artworks, providing essential data for provenance research and the study of cultural heritage.
What types of records are included in the Getty Provenance Index?
The Getty Provenance Index includes records from Dealer Stock Books, Sales Catalogs, and Archival Inventories. The Getty Research Institute also provides separate access to provenance resources like Payments to Artists, Collectors Files, and Public Collections. For more information about these datasets, see What's Covered.
How do I access the Getty Provenance Index?
Information from Dealer Stock Books and Sales Catalogs are accessible in a linked open data structure through a Getty-supported, open-source database platform called Arches. Access to Archival Inventories records are currently available on our legacy database platform, but will soon be remodeled as linked open data and migrated to Arches. The Payments to Artists, Collectors Files, and Public Collections datasets are available through their current platform.
What is Arches, and how does it improve upon the original database?
Arches® is a Getty-supported, open-source database platform hosting Getty Provenance Index records that have been transformed into linked open data resources. By treating Provenance Index records as a structured web of related resources, Arches enhances accessibility and discoverability, surfaces existing connections within GPI resources, enables linkages with other cultural heritage datasets, and provides powerful federated search and data visualization tools. These enhancements make provenance research more efficient and adaptable to evolving scholarly needs.
How will the transition to Arches affect access to data?
Sales Catalogs and Dealer Stock Books are available as linked open data in Arches. As the transformation progresses, records from Archival Inventories will be added. Other provenance research resources will continue to be accessible on their current platform.
How do I search the Getty Provenance Index?
The user guide for the remodeled Getty Provenance Index in Arches provides support for users to construct linked data-enabled queries and to use tools for data exploration and export (enhanced features that were not supported by the legacy platform). For questions about using the legacy Provenance Index, email the Getty Provenance Index Department.
Is the Getty Provenance Index data available for download?
Yes. Users may export resources and searches from the remodeled Getty Provenance Index in Arches. Data can also be exported from the Getty’s LOD Gateway. Additionally, some raw datasets from the legacy platform can be downloaded from the Getty Provenance Index GitHub repository.
Does the Getty Provenance Index have a SPARQL endpoint?
Yes. The Getty Provenance Index supports semantic data queries using the SPARQL language through Getty’s LOD Gateway.
How do I cite the Getty Provenance Index in my work?
When citing the Getty Provenance Index databases as a whole, use the following format:
Getty Provenance Index®. J. Paul Getty Trust.
Individual resources in the remodeled Getty Provenance Index in Arches can be cited by using the URL directly as a stable and unique resource identifier (URI):
Getty Provenance Index®, accessed [date], [Arches URL].
When citing other Getty Provenance Index resources, use the following format:
Getty Provenance Index®, accessed [date], [existing database URL].
Can I get a list of past contributors and collaborators of the Getty Provenance Index?
The Getty Provenance Index has benefited from collaborations with scholars, institutions, and researchers worldwide. See the Collaborators page for a full list.
Does the Getty Provenance Index take contributions?
Yes. The Getty Provenance Index welcomes contributions from scholars and researchers with expertise in provenance studies, paleography, art history, or related fields. Contributions may involve transcribing historical documents, providing additional data, or submitting complementary datasets. If you are interested in contributing, reach out to the Getty Provenance Index Department.
How do I submit errors to the Getty Provenance Index?
If you find incorrect or incomplete information in the Getty Provenance Index, we encourage you to submit corrections. Email the record number (found at the top of each record) or link in Arches, along with supporting documentation or sources, to the Getty Provenance Index Department.
Who can I contact regarding other questions about the Getty Provenance Index?
For questions or corrections regarding the Getty Provenance Index, email the Getty Provenance Index Department.