Here at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, we use the role “Sitter” for any person depicted in an artwork. If an associated person is not actually depicted (e.g. Abraham Lincoln’s autograph), we use the role “Associated Person”. The NPG London seems to use only the roles “Sitter” and “Artist” too.

 

Sue Garton

Data Administrator

National Portrait Gallery

(202) 633-8554 | [log in to unmask]

 

 

Some works (e.g., photographs) in our collection include ten or more “identified” individuals. Other works may be associated with an individual (e.g., a silver piece presented to an historical figure).

 

We are temporarily “parking” information in two flex fields, pending future development of subject cataloguing. These fields are:

 

Associated with

Person depicted

 

Merrianne Timko

Data Standards Manager

 

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

PO Box 6826  Houston, Texas  77265-6826

713.353.1523  Office

 

 

 

We use depicts (object – person/place) and depicted in (person/place – object)

 

Best,
Gabriela

 

 

 

Hi all,

 

I’m trying to wrap my head around an issue involving constituent xrefs on object records. For sitters of portraits, we have utilized a role called “Sitter” to link a constituent to the object record. We would like to do something similar with people depicted (but who didn’t necessarily model or sit for a piece) in a photograph or poster. “Sitter” doesn’t seem to work well because, based on the Getty AAT definition, it relates very specifically to portrait and not to other visual works. I am hesitant to call them the “Subject” because I think that term would get confused with overall subject or genre of a painting (i.e. “allegory”).

 

Has anyone used constituent xrefs in the object record to identify the person depicted in a photograph? If so, what role have you used to do this? If anyone has any insight which they could pass along, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

 

Sincerely,

Jarred Wilson

Associate Registrar

 

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

5401 Bay Shore Road

Sarasota, FL 34243

 

tel. 941-359-5700 x1504

fax 941-359-7716

www.ringling.org

 

 

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