Cataloging Architecture and Architectural Drawings with CDWA, CCO, and the Getty Vocabularies

Oct 24, 2026

Guidance for cataloging architecture and architectural drawings using CDWA, CCO, and the Getty vocabularies. Explains why standards and controlled vocabularies improve consistency, usability, and resilience across changing technologies and environments. Covers CDWA’s scope, conceptual framework, and the 540 element categories, including major areas and “core” subsets. Describes how to capture titles/names, creators and related people, dates, locations, materials and techniques, depicted subject, inscriptions, events, style and culture, descriptive notes, provenance and copyright, edition/state, and other important data for accessible reuse.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages196

Reading Time8 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Which Standards to Use?

General Information about Cataloging

AAT, TGN, ULAN, CONA, IA

Relationships: Equivalence, Hierarchical, Associative

Catalog Level, Classification, Work Type

Title / Name

Creator, Related People

Creation Date, Other Dates

Current Location, Other Locations

Materials and Techniques, Dimensions

Depicted Subject

Inscriptions, Watermarks, etc

Events

Style and Culture

Descriptive Note

Provenance and Copyright

Edition and State

Other Important Data

Making Data Accessible, Getty vocabularies

Cataloging Architecture and Architectural Drawings with CDWA, CCO, and the Getty Vocabularies Patricia Harpring Managing Editor, Getty Vocabulary Program Revised February 2022 Table of Contents • Which Standards to Use ..... 3 • General Information about Cataloging .... 17 • AAT, TGN, ULAN, CONA, IA .... 44 • Relationships: Equivalence, Hierarchical, Associative .... 60 • Catalog Level, Classification, Work Type .... 77 • Title / Name ..... 93 • Creator, Related People ..... 98 • Creation Date, Other Dates .... 111 • Current Location, Other Locations .... 120 • Materials and Techniques, Dimensions ... 126 • Depicted Subject ...... 143 • Inscriptions, Watermarks, etc ..... 159 • Events ...... 165 • Style and Culture .... 168 • Descriptive Note .... 171 • Provenance and Copyright ... 175 • Edition and State ..... 178 • Other Important Data .... 181 • Making Data Accessible, Getty vocabs..... 192 Architecture: CDWA, CCO, Vocabularies | Which Standards to Use? | | --- | | CDWA, CCO, others | Architecture: CDWA, CCO, Vocabularies What Standards and Vocabularies to Use? • Why use standards and controlled vocabularies? To build good data. • Using standards and controlled vocabularies will make the data more consistent, more usable in-house and in broader environments, and more able to withstand changes in technology and practices over time • The greatest investment in cataloging is the human investment, with experts analyzing and recording data • You do not want to re-do this effort if you move to a new system or share your data in new environments • Although of course you will wish to edit and add to data as you acquire new or additional information over time • Your goal should be to record correctly once, and re-use data as needed going forward • This presentation is a discussion of appropriate standards and vocabularies • For a full discussion of managing a project, see [http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/managing_project.pdf](http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/managing_project.pdf) “When we mean to build, We first survey the plot, Then draw the model; ”William Shakespeare, King Henry IV; Part II, Act I, Scene III (Lord Bardolph) [http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/](http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/) What Is CDWA? Categories for the Description of Works of Art • CDWA includes both a conceptual framework of elements and relationships, and cataloging rules for describing, documenting, and cataloging cultural works and related images • Includes 540 elements • Primary focus is art and architecture, including but not limited to prints, manuscripts, paintings, sculpture, photographs, built works, and other visual media • Also covers many other types of cultural objects, including artifacts and functional objects from the realm of material culture Architecture: CDWA, CCO, Vocabularies [http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/](http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/) What Is CDWA? • CDWA is the result of the work of the Art Information Task Force (AITF), which included art historians, museum professionals, visual resource professionals, archivists, and librarians • AITF reached consensus on categories of information for describing works of art, architecture, and other material culture • CDWA is intended for the diverse disciplines and communities that use and create information about art, architecture, and other material culture Architecture: CDWA, CCO, Vocabularies [http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/](http://www.getty.edu/research/publications/electronic_publications/cdwa/) 􀂃 Includes guidelines for cataloging and documenting works of all types, including works themselves and the images of these works, as well as authorities What

FAQs

Why use standards and controlled vocabularies in architectural cataloging?

They help build good data and make records more consistent and usable. Using them also improves reuse and resilience when systems and practices change over time.

What is CDWA and what does it cover?

CDWA provides a conceptual framework of elements and relationships plus cataloging rules for cultural works and related images. Its primary focus is art and architecture, and it also covers many other cultural objects from material culture.

How does CDWA support long-term cataloging goals?

The goal is to record information correctly once and then reuse it as needed. This reduces the need to redo work when moving to new systems or sharing data in broader environments.

Oct 24, 2026

Upload by The weather in my hometown