Art & Artists

Art and museums serve an incredibly important role in our society, offering a window into the different cultures of the past, providing education and a method for artistic expression. Art historians, cultural theorists, and other humanities scholars spend their careers examining works of art and the institutions that house them, attempting to examine the hidden meanings behind symbols and materials, framing the cultural production in a wider socio-economic context.

While a close examination of the works themselves and the vast literature surrounding them is one of the ways we can get closer to the past, data is another lens through which we can explore the subject of art. By looking at data on artworks, artists, art movements, and museums - from dates, artists’ gender, and acquisition details to formats and media, we can better understand the landscape of cultural production of the last couple of millennia.

Data Usage

You can explore the most famous works of art and their creators, place them in the wider context, and learn more about the museums housing them. Some of the most relevant information you can extract from our data and visualisations include:

• Data on artists such as their names, biographical details, and portfolios of their work;
• Data about artworks, including titles, descriptions, mediums, creation dates, and museum acquisition details;
• Insights into art movements, tracing the evolution of artistic styles and ideologies over time;
• Data on museums, including details about their collections, exhibitions, and visitor statistics.

Where to go next

The subject of art & artists intersects with other topics related to culture, cultural policy, and the protection of world heritage. By exploring the links and combining the data, you will gain a better understanding of the issues.