Your oeuvre: Drawing up and filling in an inventory

Inventory

Your inventory number is a unique identification code that you allocate to the work of art. Create a numbering system that makes sense to you and is easy to use. Apply it to all the works of art, even those that are no longer in your possession. Note the number both on the work of art and in your inventory. It’s best not to change this number in the future.

“How you use your inventory will depend on your individuals needs.” (Gendron, H., Ambrose-Smith, N., Beaudion, J. & Imm-Stroukoff, E., 2022, p. 48)

Title

The exact title of the work of art.

Please note: Some artists like to use several titles for the same work or change them in the course of their artistic career. If this is the case, include the different titles (if known) and use the most recent one.

Creation date

This is the date when the work was created. Some artists still remember the exact date; others have dated their work or only state the year. In any event, be consistent in the way you record dates.

Afmetingen

State the dimensions in the same order for every work (e.g. length x width (x height)). If a work of art consists of several objects, measure both the separate parts and the work as a whole. You may also choose to indicate whether the work is framed. If so, it is best to include these measurements in your inventory as well.

Medium (Material)

Make a list of all the materials and techniques used in the work of art. This may help with future conservation. Use the same terms consistently in the inventory for the same materials.

Storage place

State where the work of art is stored (e.g. at home, in the studio or in an (external) storage space). If the work of art has been loaned, sold or donated, you can also include the contact details for this in your records. You might also want to create a separate field for ‘owner/ownership’.

Bear in mind that this information can change through the years. Try to keep track by means of the artist’s resale right or follow the auction houses and galleries.

Also take a look at the page ‘Clarifying rights’. This offers more information about how you can use personal data within the running of your estate.

Status

Is the work in your own possession or on loan, or has it been sold, donated or destroyed? Indicate this in the ‘status’ field. Keep this up-to-date!

Condition

This field is where the general physical condition of the work of art is recorded. This information may help with the conservation of the work, the creation of a condition report or a restoration.

Reference to photos of the work

Add a photo of the work of art to the inventory, or a reference or link that refers to the photo on your hard drive. That way, you will always have a visual image to document the work.

Series

Indicate in the ‘Series’ whether the work belongs to a larger group, such as a series or installation. Do this by including the titles or the inventory numbers of the different objects.

Price

This is where you enter the price for which the work has been or could be sold. This field is also useful when taking out insurance.

Exhibitions

This is where you state all the places where the work has been exhibited. Doing so may offer inspiration for future projects and research.

Literature

Add a list of any publications in which the work is included. This may be useful for academic research, for example.

Interested to read more? Go to the next page: Long-term storage of the oeuvre.