oclc online computer library center subject access to cultural objects a review of challenges and...

OCLC Online Computer Library Center

Subject access to cultural objects A review of challenges and opportunities

Jonathan Furner

Assistant Editor, DDC

OCLC

ALA/ALCTS :: June 25, 2005


Vase of Flowers

Jan van Huysum(Dutch, 1682-1749)

1722

oil on panel

79.4 x 60.9cm

J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, CA)

©2004 J. Paul Getty Trust


Description: Still life of drooping flowers spilling onto a ledge, some decaying and being eaten by insects; represents the senses of sight and smell; the decay and broken stems symbolize the transient nature of life, youth, and beauty; the ledge pushed up to the picture plane resembles the ledge seen in posthumous portraits, thus symbolizing death. The crown of thorns flower at the top symbolizes the Passion of Christ.

Subject--Description: still life; Pronkstilleven; botanical; flowers; crown of thorns plant; cyclamen; hyacinth; lilies; narcissus; peonies; primrose; tulips; roses; sweetpeas; violet; insects; caterpillar; bird’s nest; eggs; urn; ledge

Subject--Interpretation: senses; smell; beauty; life; transience; Vanitas; Passion of Christ


Untitled Rayograph (Light Patterns)

Man Ray(American, 1890-1976, died in France)

1927

gelatin silver print

25.15 x 29.97cm




Description: The objects used by Man Ray to create this image are not apparent; the rapid alternation of light and dark on the page stimulates the eye; the stippled spots of black interact with the texture of the paper to activate the surface of the print and suggest positive and negative space.

Subject--Description: non-representational; light; light and dark; texture; spots

Subject--Interpretation: positive and negative space


Lincoln on the Battlefield of Antietam, Maryland, October 2, 1862

Alexander Gardner(American, 1821-1882)

1862

albumen print

21.8 x 19.7cm




Description: President Abraham Lincoln on the Antietam battlefield, with Major Allan Pinkerton, chief of the Secret Service, and Major John McClernand.

Subject--Description: portraits; history/legend; war; army camp; soldier; officer; president; tent; campstool; stovepipe hat

Subject--Identification: Antietam Battlefield (Sharpsburg, Maryland); Battle of Antietam (American Civil War); Union army; Abraham Lincoln (American president, 1809-1865); Allan Pinkerton (American Secret Service agent, detective, 1819-1884); John McClernand (American Union General, 1812-1900)


Cataloguing Cultural Objectsas a tool for subject cataloguers

Aims

practical guidance for subject cataloguers, indexers

intra- and inter-indexer consistency

user–indexer consistency

retrieval effectiveness



Challenges1. what does “subject” mean? -- i.e., what kinds of property of

works should be indexed?

2. what kinds of method should be used to determine the subject(s) of works, and ...

3. ... to select terms that represent those subjects?

4. what kinds of control should be imposed on the lists of terms from which selection is made, and how should such authority control be implemented?

5. what metadata elements should be established for recording subject data?



Predecessors art-historical theories of iconography/iconology:

Panofsky, van de Waal, van Straten

information-scientific theories of subject indexing:

Layne, Markey, Svenonius

data value standards:

AAT, TGM, ICONCLASS

data structure standards:

CDWA, VRA Core


Challenges

1. Kinds of subject

Subjects, objects, images, texts

subjects: e.g., people, things, events, places, concepts

objects (works) [in museums, archives]: e.g., artworks, buildings, artifacts, documents, collections

descriptive cataloguing: what the objects are

subject cataloguing: what subjects the objects are of / about


Challenges

1. Kinds of subject, cont’d

images [in visual resource collections]: visual representations of objects, e.g., photographs, slides, digital files descriptive cataloguing: what the images are; what objects

the images are of

subject cataloguing: what subjects the images are about

texts [in libraries]: verbal representations of objects, e.g., books, journal articles descriptive cataloguing: what the texts are

subject cataloguing: what objects the texts are about; what subjects the texts are about


Challenges


Representation representational (figurative) works

narrative subjects

stories

episodes in stories, i.e., events

non-narrative subjects

people, animals, plants

objects, e.g., buildings

activities; places; periods

[work types: portraits, still lifes, landscapes, genre scenes, architectural drawings ...]


Challenges


non-representational works abstract works

buildings

furniture

decorative arts

“subject” / content =

meaning (symbolic, allegorical, thematic, conceptual)

form, composition

function, purpose, use


Challenges


Panofsky’s theory of iconography 3 layers of meaning = 3 layers of iconographical research:

1. pre-iconographical description

• description of primary (natural) subject-matter

• knowledge required:

(i) of objects/events

(ii) of history of style: i.e., how objects/events are expressed by certain forms at certain times


Challenges


2. iconographical analysis

• analysis of secondary (conventional) subject-matter

• knowledge required: (i) of literary sources of themes/concepts

(ii) of history of types: i.e., how themes/concepts are expressed by certain objects/events at certain times

3. iconological interpretation

• interpretation of intrinsic meaning

• knowledge required: (i) “synthetic intuition” of the “essential tendencies” of human mind

(ii) of history of symbols: i.e., how “essential tendencies” are expressed by certain themes/concepts at certain times


Challenges


Ofness and aboutness what is the work of?

generically: description e.g., “Nude standing woman seen from front, holding dagger

in right hand”

specifically: identification e.g., “The suicide of Lucretia”

what is the work about? interpretation

e.g., “virtuousness”


CCO recommendation #1

subject data should be consistently given for all works, not just for representational ones

(even if those data end up overlapping with the content of other elements, e.g. Work Type)


Challenges

2. Subject analysis

Ofness

who? what? where? when?

people, objects/activities, places, times

generic to specific

left to right; top to bottom; foreground to background ...


Challenges

2. Subject analysis, cont’d

Aboutness what is the meaning of the work?

what is expressed by the work?

what do the objects, events, etc., depicted in the work symbolize?

how may the image be interpreted?

what was the intention of the work’s creator?

how has the work been interpreted historically?



take a methodical approach to subject analysis


Challenges

3. Term selection

What kinds of terms? How many terms? factors that can’t help but affect the specificity of

indexing: quality and quantity of available scholarly information

about the work

extent of indexer’s knowledge of the work

extent of indexer’s general pre-iconographic knowledge

depth of indexer’s indexing expertise

availability of time; money; human resources; technology at institution’s disposal


Challenges

3. Term selection, cont’d

factors that should also affect the specificity of indexing needs of end-users: expert and non-expert

characteristics of the collection

relative importance of the work

presence of unusual details in the work

institutional policies number of terms to be assigned per work

method of subject analysis to be used

capabilities of system e.g., to link NTs to BTs, preferred terms to synonyms and RTs,

etc.


CCO recommendation #3a

don’t be specific without the support of scholarly evidence

better to be general and accurate than specific and wrong


CCO recommendation #3b

use subject terms that have been identified as “preferred” in established authority files (controlled vocabularies)


Challenges

4. Authority control

Four kinds of authority file

Personal and Corporate Body Authority

preferred forms of names of real people/bodies (as artists, patrons, subjects of works)

Geographic Place Authority

preferred forms of names of real places


Challenges

4. Authority control, cont’d

Concept Authority

preferred forms of genre terms

e.g. “still life,” “landscape”

preferred forms of generic subject terms

objects, materials, activities, agents, properties, styles, periods treated as subjects


Challenges


Subject Authority

preferred forms of iconographical terms

proper names, uniform titles, standard labels ...

... of characters, situations, events, themes, works (e.g., buildings) ...

... in historical, mythological, religious, literary contexts


Challenges


cf. AAT: Art & Architecture Thesaurus terms for describing what objects / images are

project began 1980; funded by CLR, NEH, Mellon, then Getty from 1985; sponsored by ARLIS, CAA, SAH, etc.

current: version 3.0-Web, at http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/aat/

cf. ICONCLASS: Iconographic Classification System terms for describing what objects / images are of / about

1949: van de Waal (U. Leiden) began to develop ideas that led to ICONCLASS

1973-85: published in 17 vols.

ICONCLASS Libertas Browser (KNAW, Amsterdam): web-accessible version, at http://www.iconclass.nl/


Challenges


Kinds of source of terminology for local authority files distinguished by structure:

hierarchical vs. non-hierarchical

by object type:

subjects vs. people/places

by scope:

domain-specific vs. interdisciplinary

by purpose:

authority control vs. end-user reference



link the occurrences of subject terms in work records to the authority records for those terms

(in authority files that implement synonym control and hierarchical structure)


Challenges

5. Record structure

Metadata element sets cf. CDWA: Categories for the Description of Works of Art

ed. Baca, Harpring

funded by Getty, NEH, CAA

2000: version 2.0; on web at http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/cdwa/

cf. VRA Core Categories

ed. Lanzi, Whiteside

2002: version 3.0; on web at http://www.vraweb.org/vracore3.htm


Challenges

5. Record structure, cont’d

Subject metadata elements recommended by CCO

Description [free-text; non-repeatable]

Subject [required; controlled; repeatable]

Extent

for designating the part of the work to which the subject terms are applicable

Subject Type

for distinguishing between description, identification, interpretation



implement separate subject elements for display and for retrieval


Statue of Hercules (Lansdowne Herakles)

Unknown Roman sculptor; after the School of Polykleitos

about 125 CE

marble

height: 193.5cm


©2004 J. Paul Getty Trust.


Description: Herakles standing in contrapposto, holding his attributes, the skin of the Nemean lion and a club. This statue was found in Tivoli ca. 1790, in the ruins of Hadrian’s villa; it was in the collection of the Marquess of Lansdowne until 1951. It is related in appearance to works attributed to 4th-century BCE Greek sculptors; however, the work has an eclectic style that is purely Roman.

Subject--Description: religion/mythology; human figure; male; nude; lion skin; club

Subject--Identification: Hercules (Greek/Roman hero); Nemean Lion


Example of a Subject Authority record

Subject Names: Hercules (preferred); Herakles; Heracles; Ercole; Hercule; Hércules

Hierarchical Position: Classical mythology--Greek heroic legends--Story of Hercules--Hercules

Indexing Terms: Greek hero; king; strength; fortitude; perseverance; Argos; Thebes

Note: Probably based on an actual historical figure, a king of ancient Argos. The legendary figure was the son of Zeus and Alcmene ...

Related Subjects: Labors of Hercules; Love Affairs of Hercules; Zeus (Greek god); Alcmene (Greek heroine); Hera (Greek goddess)

Dates: Story developed in Argos, but was taken over at early date by Thebes; literary sources are late, though earlier texts may be surmised. Earliest: -1000 Latest: 9999

Sources: ICONCLASS http://www.iconclass.nl/; Grant, Michael and John Hazel. Gods and Mortals in Classical Mythology. Springfield, MA: G & C Merriam Company, 1973. Page: 212 ff.


Opportunities

integrity and longevity of data

consistent, reliable access to data

exchange, sharing, reuse of data

interoperability of systems

easy migration of data to new systems

communication, cooperation, collaboration


Some residual questions

should indexers be expected to do iconographical research to index aboutness?

should cultural-historical questions about a work’s unintended meanings be answered by indexers?

how may future users’ needs be predicted?

what role for general knowledge-organization schemes?


DDC Class 704.9 Iconography

for texts about the treatment of specific subjects in visual art (and for collections of images of specific subjects)

704.942 Human figures

704.943 Nature and still life

704.944 Architectural subjects and cityscapes

704.946 Symbolism and allegory

704.947 Mythology and legend

704.948 Religion

704.949 Other specific subjects


DDC Class 704.9 Iconography, cont’d

743.8 Drawing other subjects

Add to base number 743.8 the numbers following 704.94 in 704.943–704.949 ...

743.9 Collections of drawings by subject (Iconography)


778.9 Photography of specific subjects


779 Photographs

Add to base number 779 the numbers following 704.94 in 704.942–704.949 ...


DDC Table 3C. Notation to Be Added Where Instructed [at] ... 700.4, 791.4 ...

for texts about ...

700.4 Special topics in the arts

700.41 Arts displaying specific qualities of style, mood, viewpoint

Add to base number 700.41 the numbers following —1 in notation 11–18 from Table 3C ...

700.42–.48 Arts dealing with specific themes and subjects

Add to base number 700.4 the numbers following —3 in notation 32–38 from Table 3C ...

791.4 Motion pictures, radio, television


DDC Table 3C, cont’d Notation to Be Added Where Instructed [at] ... 700.4, 791.4 ...

—3 Arts ... dealing with specific themes and subjects

—32 Places

—33 Times

—35 Humanity

—36 Physical and natural phenomena

—37 The supernatural, mythological, legendary

—38 Philosophic and abstract themes


DDC Table 3C, cont’d Notation to Be Added Where Instructed [at] ... 700.4, 791.4 ...

—1 Arts ... displaying specific qualities of style, mood, viewpoint

—11 Nontraditional viewpoints

—12 Realism and naturalism

—13 Idealism

—14 Classicism and romanticism

—15 Symbolism, allegory, fantasy, myth

—16 Tragedy and horror

—17 Comedy

—18 Irony


Jonathan Furner

[email protected]

(202) 707-6983

Thank You. Questions?

oclc online computer library center subject access to cultural objects a review of challenges and...

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