Artwork Information Guidelines

This guide provides detailed information on all artwork metadata options.

File Specifications

• All images uploaded to a show should be JPG or PNG files.
• Image width/length should be a minimum of 1000 pixels. 
• Image files should have a file size less than 30mb and sRGB color format
• Ensure filenames do not include periods other than in the filetype extension, quotation marks, commas, dollar signs, spaces, or other similar symbols as these can cause errors in image processing. 

Title

We follow standard English conventions for titles, in which every word is capitalized except for conjunctions and articles such as “a”, “and”, “the”, “or”, and “of”.

Please use English titles whenever possible, or titles in original languages with the English translation in parenthesis ().

Date

We rely on dates to filter artworks on the artist profile page, and to automatically apply relevant categories such as Art of the 1990s, Art of the 1960s

You may enter an exact date, a date range, or indicate “circa.” This will display on the artwork page as “ca. [year].”

If you need to enter dates in a different format, i.e. “19th Century” or “Late Ming Dynasty,” you may use the “Open” date option.

Medium Type

Important: Every work must have a Medium Type in addition to Medium/Materials. Works missing Medium Type will not appear in the popular filters on artist pages, Medium Type pages, and Fair feature pages that collectors use to navigate the site, such as “Print”, “Painting”, “Performance Art“ or “Photography”.

Select the category that is most specific.

• For prints, please use “Print”, not “Drawing, Collage or Other Work on Paper.”
• If multiple categories may apply, use “Mixed Media.”
• If the work's category is not included among the available options—if, for example, the work is a website—please select “Other.”

Medium/Materials

Provide specific information about materials and technique (i.e. “Oil on canvas”, “Etching and drypoint on Somerset paper”, “Plastic bottles, driftwood and fishing line”). This differs from Medium Type, which is primarily used for filtering, and unlike Medium Type, Medium/Materials will display on the artwork page.

• Please use English only or include English translations
• Capitalize only the first letter in the medium field, and capitalize any proper names (i.e. “Somerset cotton rag paper”)

Size / Dimensions

• Enter dimensions as either height, width and depth (H, W, D), or Diameter (for round works).
• If “Film/Video/Animation” is selected in the Category field, you will be prompted to enter Duration.
• You may use either inches or centimeters, our system will automatically provide conversions.
• To demonstrate that an artwork has variable dimensions, add the dimensions either for the biggest part or the smallest part of the group. In the the 'About the Artwork' section in CMS, you can then clarify that the artwork has multiple parts, with different dimensions. You can list the specific measurements there too.
• You can add the artwork's weight (optional).
• Framed dimensions will be required if the artwork is framed. This will only be required for for-sale, "Buy Now" and "Make Offer" artworks for subscribing gallery partners with a location in the U.S.

Artwork Location

All artworks opted in to Buy Now and / or Make Offer or listed as "For Sale" as an inquiry work require an artwork location. You will need to select a Business Address to answer the question "Where will this artwork ship from?" The city and state will be displayed to collectors on the artwork page. You can add and manage your business locations in Settings. Read more about Adding a Location in CMS. 

Price

We encourage our partners to provide pricing information for all for-sale works, regardless of whether the price will be publicly displayed on the site. You always have the option to hide pricing information by selecting “Display 'Contact for price' on Artsy”. Providing pricing information for all works helps us to best connect you with collectors, and encourages higher quality inquiries.

• Enter only numbers: no periods, commas, or currency signs. These will display automatically.

Publisher and Manufacturer for Multiples

If “Print” is selected in the category field, you can provide information on the name and location of the Publisher.

If “Design/Decorative Art” is selected in the category field, you can provide information on the name and location of the Manufacturer.

Edition Information for Photography, Prints and Design/Decorative Art

You'll likely need to use Edition information for prints, photographs, editioned sculpture, and design/decorative artworks. Editions allow you to provide multiple sizes, prices, and edition numbers for multiples of a particular work.

Use the “Add Editions“ button to include edition information for any work that is a multiple.

1. “Size of Edition” indicates total number of works in the edition, not just the number available for sale.
2. Indicate which numbered works in the edition are available.
3. Include total number of artist proofs in the edition, if any, not just those available.

You may add dimensions specific to the particular edition. For example, if a photo is available in different print sizes in different editions, add an edition for each print size and adjust the dimensions accordingly. Use the “Add Another Edition” button.  To read more about edition listings, please review our article How to List a Single Editioned Work and How to List Multiples from the Same Edition.  

Provenance, Series, Image Rights and Additional Information

You have the option to include additional information that may be helpful to Artsy's users or collectors for any work by clicking into the Provenance and More Info section. Fields such as Exhibition history, Provenance, and Literature may not be relevant to every work, but please complete them whenever there exists important information not captured elsewhere.

• Provenance: Provenance indicates the source of the artwork, how and from whom it was acquired into an institution or organization's collection. This may be “Gift of...” or “Collection of...” an individual, or a more anonymous source such as ”Private Collection, Buenos Aires.”
• Image rights: Image rights often may not apply to contemporary works. Fill in the type of license for images in the public domain or those made available under specific terms of use.
• Series: Include the title of the series, if any. This will display on the artwork page under the artwork title.
• Use the most widely-used name of the series, rather than own translations
• Capitalize each letter except for articles and conjunctions
• Additional Information: captures any information relevant to collectors, such as framing information, whether a work is unstretched, shipping information, if the work is a diptych, etc, or other details about the work.
• Literature: for any important bibliographic references or write-ups on the work in particular.