How can you use structured data (SDC) to describe files that show visual artworks on Wikimedia Commons?
This page collects best practices for:
Files (images, videos, 3D scans...) that show works of visual art: paintings, sculptures, public artworks, prints... creative works that can be shown as an 'autonomous' work, for instance in an exhibition, or in a public place.
Structured Data on Commons (SDC) data modeling conventions that have reached community consensus, that are widely used, and that are broadly re-usable by any Wikimedia Commons user (i.e. not just built for one single use case or for one institution)
Corresponding Wikitext templates which are fully structured data-driven
The following cases can not yet be covered on this page (as of December 2022):
Commons files that show artworks/objects that do not have a Wikidata item (no SDC data modeling consensus yet; no fully SDC-driven Wikitext templates yet)
Photographs, specimens (no SDC data modeling consensus yet; no fully SDC-driven Wikitext templates yet)
A digital surrogate, or faithful reproduction, of a creative work or object, is a form of 'direct digitization' of that work/object that is meant to show it truthfully and faithfully. Examples of digital surrogates include:
A photograph or scan of a painting that is produced to faithfully show the painting 'as is', without deformations, shadows, lighting, etc.
A 3D scan of a sculpture, airplane, tool...
A scan of a drawing or print
A scan of a book
A video file that represents a fully digitized film
This difference has legal implications! In copyright law of many countries around the world (including European countries), it is illegal to claim copyright over the exact digital reproduction of a creative work that is in the public domain. But as soon as someone takes a photograph of a work from a certain distance/angle, and with a specific point of view, then there is some creativity involved; then the photographer can claim copyright.
A digital surrogate (faithful digital representation) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418). No frame is shown. The image has no distortion or edges.
A photograph (NOT a digital surrogate) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418). It is taken from an angle, the frame is visible and the painting's image is distorted.
A photograph (NOT a digital surrogate) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418) from a distance, showing the room in which it is displayed. Here, the photographer certainly made a conscious (creative) decision about the point of view.
When should works and objects have a Wikidata item?edit
When the work or object can be considered notable (which is more often than expected)! A work or object very often fits Wikidata's general notability criteria, including the criterium that the "entity must be notable, in the sense that it can be described using serious and publicly available references". In general, it is widely advisable to create a Wikidata item for a painting, a sculpture, a permanent public artwork, or a notable object that has been described in independent sources. Make sure to search Wikidata before creating a new Wikidata item though; the work or object may have an item already!
If a work or object has more than one image or other file on Wikimedia Commons, that is often also a good indication that a Wikidata item would be useful. The different files can then point to this one Wikidata item.
That said, it can be convenient (e.g. when performing batch uploads) to only describe the work or object with structured data on Wikimedia Commons.
Should I also create a Wikidata item for the photograph / image / file that shows the work or object?edit
In 99.99% of cases: no. You will add metadata about the image here on Wikimedia Commons, and metadata about the artwork either to its Wikidata item, or here on Wikimedia Commons too.
=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Art photo}}
=={{Assessment}}==
{{Media of the day|2021|9|23}}
{{FM promoted|featured=1}}
=={{int:license-header}}==
{{self|cc-by-sa-4.0}}
{{3dpatent|ownwork}}
[[Category:Venus of Willendorf]]
[[Category:STL files from Scan the World]]
[[Category:STL files of sculptures]]
[[Category:Featured media nominated by Andrew J.Kurbiko]]
[[Category:Featured media by Jonathanbeck]]
More examples; click on the image and/or file name to inspect the structured data and Wikitext of each example.
Recommended basic structured data statements for any file on Wikimedia Commons are the following. Please note that you are describing the file, not the artwork that is depicted in the file!
When describing digital surrogates (faithful digital representations) of artworks, please add three (3) structured data statements that point to the artwork itself:
The combination of these three statements will trigger the artwork's data in Wikitext to be generated from the structured data. If you omit one of these statements, no structured data about the artwork will be loaded in the Wikitext part of the file page.
When describing photographs that show three-dimensional works, please add two (2) structured data statements that point to the artwork itself:
The combination of these two statements will trigger the artwork's data in Wikitext to be generated from the structured data. If you omit one of these statements, no structured data about the artwork will be loaded in the Wikitext part of the file page.
If the structured data of the file is properly filled in, as described above, then very simple Wikitext is enough, and even preferred (to avoid data duplication). Wikitext typically has three sections: information about the file, license, and categories.
Information about the file. Typically, you will use the {{Artwork}} template for digital surrogates, and the {{Art Photo}} template for photographs of artworks. The {{Art Photo}} template will display data about both the artwork and the photograph taken of that artwork, and can also be used for digital surrogates.
License. Wikitext always contains a header with the file's license. Make sure that this license template corresponds with the copyright and license information specified in the structured data. This information is (per December 2022) not yet automatically pre-filled from structured data.
Categories. Always make sure that the Wikitext of the file contains one or more suitable Commons categories.
Digital surrogate (faithful digital representation)
Digital surrogate (faithful digital representation)
Photo of an artwork (NOT a digital surrogate)
Photo of an artwork (NOT a digital surrogate)
A digital surrogate (faithful digital representation) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418). No frame is shown. The image has no distortion or edges.
A photograph (NOT a digital surrogate) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418). It is taken from an angle, the frame is visible and the painting's image is distorted.
A photograph (NOT a digital surrogate) of the Mona Lisa (Q12418) from a distance, showing the room in which it is displayed. Here, the photographer certainly made a conscious (creative) decision about the point of view.
,_Kishangarh,_ca._1750,_National_Museum_New_Delhi.jpg)
