The GESAH Graphic Arts Ontology is designed for the inventory, classification and structured description of works on paper.
GESAH Graphic Arts Ontology
Version from 2026-03-25, removed the property gesah:life_data.
ontology-, software engineers, developers in digitial humanities, art historians, architects, curators, public
applies to
gilt für
The relationship connects the rights/licence to the digital image licenced as such.
applies to digital image
gilt für Digitalisat
The relationship connects the rights/licence to the cultural object licenced as such.
applies to metadata
gilt für Metadaten
The relationship connects a cultural object whose motif is cited by another.
cited in
zitiert in
The relationship connects two cultural objects, where one is citing a motif of the other.
Zitat nach
cites
The relationship connects a collection title to several cultural objects.
Werke in der Sammlung
Works in the collection
The relationship connects a digital image to the date of its production.
Aufnahmedatum
Date of recording
The relationship connects subjects or concepts of iconography with a cultural object.
dargestellt in
depicted in
dargestelltes Objekt lokalisiert in
depicted object localizied in
The relationship connects a depiction type (e.g. view, plan, section, etc.) used for a cultural object of type architecture.
Darstellungsart von
Depiction type of
The relationship connects a cultural object to its depicted subject and iconography.
Subject
Werkinhalt
The relationship connects the digital image and the license it is subject to.
Lizenz der Digitalisate
digital image licence
The relationship connects the term of geographic origin to the cultural object.
Geographic assignment of
Geographische Einordnung von
The relationship connects variants of titles with the respective cultural object.
Titel
Title
The relationship connects the cultural object to its description in a catalogue raisonné or work index.
Werkverzeichniseintrag
Work index entry
The relationship connects variant names or spellings to persons.
alternative name
alternativer Name
Bezeichnung
has appelation
The relationship connects two cultural objects which are clearly copied one from the other.
has copy
hat Kopie
The relationship connects two cultural objects which show a counterproof and bear the source for counterproof.
has counterproof
hat Abklatsch
The relationship connects the creation activity with its output that is the cultural object.
creation output
hat Ergebnis der Schöpfung
The relationship connects the cultural object and the institution that keeps it.
Current holding institution
aktuell aufbewahrende Institution
The relationship connects a cultural object to a degree of recording for the status of indexing progress.
Degree of recording
Erschließungsgrad
The relationship connects a cultural object of type architecture to its depiction type (e.g. view, plan, section, etc.)
Art der Darstellung
Depiction type
The relationship connects a cultural object with its digital copy.
has digital representation
hat Digitalisat
The relationship connects the activity of edition with its publication that is the cultural object.
Herausgabe von
edition of cultural object
The relationship connects a work index with its single catalogue numbers or entries.
Eintrag
Entry
The relationship connencts an exhibition event with the cultural objects shown at the event.
displayed objects
gezeigte Werke
The releationship connects events and subordinated events.
has event part
hat Teilereigniss
The relationship connects a cultural object to its geographic origin.
Geographic assignment
Geographische Einordnung
has geographic part
hat geographischen Teil
The relationship connects the inscription activity with the object inscribed that is the cultural object.
Beschriftung für
inscription for
The relationship connects the activity of inscription with its result that is the inscription on the object.
has inscription output
hat Ergebnis der Beschriftung
The relationship connects a specifiying type of inscription content with the inscription output.
Beschriftung Präzisierung
Inscription specification
has main image
hat Hauptbild
The relationship connects the cultural object with context node mark designation.
Collector's mark
Sammlermarke
The relationship serves to connect the cultural object to the material used for creation, production or edition.
Material
The relationship connects a measurment to its type to indicate what part of the object was measured (support, sheet, plate,or image).
has treatment specifics
hat Erhaltungsmaßnahmespezifika
The relationship specifies a measurement entry according to the measured object (support, sheet, plate or image).
Maße Präzisierung
measurement specification
The relationship connects a cultural object to its measurements.
Maße
Measurements
Name
name
The relationship connects the cultural object to a generic classification term of an object category.
Object category (generic term)
Sachgruppe (Oberbegriff)
The relationship connects the cultural object to a narrower classification term of an object category.
Object category (narrower term)
Sachgruppe (Unterbegriff)
The relationship connects an exhibition event with responsable persons or organisations.
has organizer
organisiert durch
The relationship connects two cultural objects, one of which may consist of two or more parts.
has part
hat Teil
The relationship connects the an activity to a person or organisation.
Teilnehmer
has participant
The relationship connects an activity with a geographic place, where activity has been happend.
Ort
Place
The relationship connects a role realized during an activity.
bevorzugter Name
preferred name
The relationship connects a preservation activity (collection care) with its treated object that is the cultural object.
has object of collection care
hat Erhaltungsobjekt
The relationship connects a production activity to its output that is the cultural object.
has production output
hat Herstellungsergebnis
The relationship connects the activity of provenance with its object of documentation that is the cultural object.
has provenance object
hat Objekt der Provenienz
The relationship connects an institution or organisation with rights or licences they own.
Rechtsinhaber von
has right ownership on
The relationship connects the person or organization with their role in all activities (creation, production, edition,inscription, provenance, collection care).
Role
Rolle
The relationship connects a role to the type a person or organisation bears in an activity.
Role type
Rollentyp
Seal
Siegel
The relationnship connects the cultural object with a style.
Stilistische Einordnung
Stylistic classification
The relationship connects the title of a cultural object with a type to specify the origin of the title.
Titeltyp
Title type
The relationship connects the role with the type of attribution to specify the person's secured or unsecured participation.
Art der Zuschreibung
type of attribution
The relationship connects a cultural object with the watermark found on the paper.
Wasserzeichen
watermark
The relationship connects the material used for creation to the respective cultural object.
is incorporated in
verwendet in
The relationship connects the specification of the inscription's content with the inscription.
Beschriftung Präzisierung von
inscription specification of
The relationship connects a work index entry to the cultural object it describes.
Werkverzeichniseintrag von
Work index entry of
The relationship connects the type of attribution, specifiyng the person's secured or unsecured participation, with the role.
Art der Zuschreibung für
attribution type of
is barcode collection of
ist Barcode Collection von
The relationship connects two cultural objects where one is preparatroy for the execution of the other. Very close relationship.
basiert auf
is based on
is copy of
ist Kopie von
is counterproof from
ist Abklatsch von
The relationship connects a institution to a cultural object, which is preserved in the institution.
aktuelle Aufbewahrungsinstitution
current holding institution of
The relationship connects the degree of recording to a cultural object indexed to such degree.
Erschließungsgrad von
degree of recording of
The relationship connects two cultural objects relating to each other by derivation of motif.
is derived from
ist abgeleitet von
The relationship connects the digital image with the cultural object it is representing.
Digitalisat von
digital representation of
The relationship connects the specific catalogue number/entry to the main record of the publication (work index).
Eintrag in
Entry in
The relationship connects places with organizations.
Ort von
location of
The relationship connects a generic term of an object category to a cultaral object.
Sachgruppe (Oberbegriff) von
object category (generic term) of
The relationship connects a narrower classification term of an object category to a cultural object.
Sachgruppe (Unterbegriff) von
object category (narrower term) of
The relationship connects a cultural object to another cultural object of which it is part of.
is part of
ist Teil von
The relationship connects a digital image to the collection of digital images with the same barcode.
is part of barcode collection
ist Teil von Barcode Collection
The relationship connects the cultural object to a collection of several cultural objects that are not meant as a series by the maker but belong together from the curators point of view.
Teil von Sammlung
part of collection
The relationship connects a subordinated event to its father entry.
Teil vom Ereigniss
is part of event
Teil des geographischen Standortes
is part of geographic location
The relationship connects a cultural object with a series title that assembles more cultural objects of the same series.
Part of series
Teil von Serie
The relationship connects a geographic place to an activity.
place of
is preparatory for
ist vorbereitend für
The relationship connects two cultural objects that have drawn or printed images on front and back side of the same sheet.
is recto of
ist Recto von
The relationship connects a role in the production, publication or archiving and documentation of the cultural object to the person or organisation that performs it.
Rolle von
role of
The relationship connects the role type to the role.
Role type of
Rollentyp von
The relationship connects two cultural objects relating by derivation mortif.
is source for
ist Quelle für
The relationship connects the different measured dimensions to their type (support, sheet, plate or image).
Spezifika der Erhaltunbgsmaßnahme
is specifics of treatment
The relationship connects the title of a cultural object to the title type, which indicates the source or origin of the title.
Titeltyp von
title type of
is verso of
ist Verso von
Lokalisierung des dargestellten Objekts
localisation of depicted object
located in
The relationship connects the collector's mark designation with the cultural object.
Kennzeichnung von
mark desgination of
The relationship connects the watermark to the cultural object where it is found.
Sammlermarke von
is mark used in
The relationship connects the cultural object entry to the type of right/licence applied to the data record.
Lizenz der Metadaten
Metadata licence
The relationship connects the cultural object with the activity of edition.
Edition
Herausgabe
The relationship connects the cultural object with an exhibition event.
Ausstellung
Exhibition
The relationship connects the cultural object with the inscription activity.
Beschriftung
Inscription
The relationship connects a cultural object with the preservation activity that it undergoes.
Collection care
Erhaltungsmaßnahme
The relationship connects the culturl object to the provenance activity.
Provenance
Provenienz
Organisator von
organizer of
The relationship connects the cultural object to the activity of its creation.
Creation
Schöpfung
The relationship connects the cultural object to the production activity.
Herstellung
Production
The relationship connects a person or organisation with all activities (without role).
beteiligt an
participates in
realisiert in
realized in
The relationship connects an activity with the role realized during the activity.
realisiert
realizes
The relationship connects a right/licence to the owning institution.
Rechtsinhaber
Right owned by
Seal designation of
Siegelkennzeichnung von
Siegel von
seal used in
The relationship connects a collection title to several cultural objects belonging to the collection.
Werke in der Serie
series for
The relationship connects the terms of styles or period to cultural objects classified as such.
Stilistische Einordnung von
Stylistic classification of
Unterliegt dem Rechtseigentum
subject to right
The relationship connects applied techniques with activities of creation, production or edition of the respective cultural object.
Technik verwendet in
technique used in
The relationship connencts a collector's mark to the mark designation.
uses mark
The relationships connects the context node of type gesah:Right_Ownership with a right or a license
uses right
verwendet Recht
uses seal
The relationship connects the cultural object with the technique by which it was made.
uses technique
verwendete Technik
The relationship connects a watermark to a cultural object that has it.
Wasserzeichen von
watermark of
AAT ID
AAT-ID
CONA ID
CONA-ID
GND ID
GND-ID
GeoNames ID
GeoNames-ID
ISIL ID
ISIL-ID
ICONCLASS ID
ICONCLASS-ID
TGN ID
TGN-ID
ULAN ID
ULAN-ID
URL
Wikidata ID
Wikidata-ID
Access URL
Zugang zum Digitalisat
Barcode
barcode
Bild-URL
Image URL
literal dates of birth and death
verbale Datierung der Lebensdaten
Comment
Kommentar
Condition state
Erhaltungszustand
Aktuelle Inventar-Nr.
Current inventory number
Beschreibung
Description
Alte Inventar-Nr.
Former inventory number
Identifier
Identifikator
Bilddatei-Nummer
image file number
Index URL
URL des Verzeichnises
Verzeichnis-Nr.
index no.
Index no. URL
Verzeichnis-Nr. URL
Inventar-Nr.
inventory number
Breitengrad
latitude
Literal date appellation
Verbale Datierung
Index title
Langtitel
Längengrad
longitude
Sammlermarke-ID
mark ID
URL der Sammlermarke
URL of the mark
Anbringungsort der Sammlermarke
mark location
Tiefe
depth
Durchmesser
diameter
Höhe
height
Breite
width
Reihenfolge
order number
Plate state
Plattenzustand
Auflage
Print run
Erfasst durch
Indexed by
Publication
Publikation
Siegel-ID
seal ID
URL des Siegels
URL of the seal
Anbringungsort des Siegels
seal location
Secondary literature
Sekundärliteratur
Mappensignatur neu
shelfmark new
Mappensignatur alt
shelfmark old
title
Transkription
transcription
Wasserzeichen-ID
watermark ID
Wasserzeichen-URL
Watermark URL
Title of a cultural object which can be specified by a type of title.
Activities describe the actions and measures a cultural object is subjected to and which affects its existance, its appearance, its condition, or its location.
Activity
Aktivität
Includes titles of cultural objects and names of persons and organisations.
Appellation
Specifies the source or reason of the attribution to a creator, producer or editor.
Attribution type
Contains all digital images taken from a object (single sheet or support with several sheets pasted on) marked with a barcode in the physical collection.
Barcode Collection
Barcode collection
A cultural object is subjected to change of custody or location by bequest.
Bequest
Nachlass
Group of cultural objects intentionally put together by a (former) collector.
Collection
Sammlung
Composite volume
Sammelband
A cultural object undergoes conservation treatments.
Conservation
Konservatorische Maßnahme
A cultural object is created by a person at a certain time at a certain place.
A physical object, invented, produced or edited by a human being.
Cultural object
Werk
State of scientific indexing (A basic - C extended).
Identifiable event depicted on cultural object (with identifier of GND, Wikidata, etc.).
Dargestelltes Ereignis
Depicted event
Identifiable object depicted on cultural object (with identifier of GND, Wikidata, CONA, etc.).
Dargestelltes Objekt
Depicted object
Identifiable persons (real and legendary) depicted on cultural objects (with identifier of GND, ULAN, Wikidata etc.).
Dargestellte Person
Depicted person
Identifiable place depicted on cultural object (with identifier of GND, Wikidata, TGN, etc.)
Dargestellter Ort
Depicted place
Method of represantion based on formal aspects (plan, section, view, etc.).
The representation of the cultural object as digital image.
Digital image
Digitalisat
A cultural object executed in a drawing technique.
Drawing
Zeichnung
A (printed) cultural object is edited by a person at a certain time at a certain place.
A cultural object is subjected to change of custody or location by endowment.
Endowment
Schenkung
Familie
Family
Eigenschaft
Feature
Includes terms to classify a cultural object to region, landscape (of art), or school (of art).
Geographic classification
Includes subclasses for various aspects of subject annotation.
Iconography
Ikonographie
Superclass of special reference material such as Work index or catalogues of watermarks.
Index
Verzeichnis
Includes writings and text of any kind either on a cultural object itself or on the its support.
A cultural object is inscribed by a person with annotations, marks, numbers, etc.
Aktivität Beschriftung
Inscription activity
Describes the content of an inscription (e. g. attribution, signature, idendification, page number, etc).
Writings, lettering, numbering by hand or printed within the drawing, the printed image or page (mainly contemporary to its creation)
Beschriftung auf Darstellung
Inscription on image
Writings, lettering, numbering by hand or others (e. g. attached excerpts) off the image or on support (not contemporary to its creation).
Beschriftung auf Trägermaterial
Inscription on support
Terms that describe the subject of the image, broader and narrower contexts.
Keyword
Schlagwort
A cultural object, mainly text, executed in hand writing
Handschrift
Manuscript
Description of stamps and marks of collections of drawings and prints.
The class is to be used for kontext knodes to link a cultural object with collector's mark, the collector and further information.
Kennzeichnung mit Sammlermarke
Mark designation
Master craftsman seal
Meistersiegel
Type of material the cultural object is made of.
Dimensions of a cultural object.
Measurement
Defines which part of the object is measured (sheet, plate or image).
Measurement specification
A cultural object with hand written musical notation
Musical notation
Notenschrift
Assigns cultural objects a generic classificaton (by subject, and/or section of physical collection).
Object Category (Generic term)
Terms of a more specific classificaton of cultural object (by subject, and/or section of the physical collection).
Object category (Narrower term)
A cultural object illustrating texts and executed in a painting technique.
Book illumination
Buchmalerei
A cultural object created by a person in photomechanical technique.
Fotomechanischer Druck
Photomechanical print
A cultural object undergoes treatments of collection care.
Measures undertaken concerning preservation, conservation and restoration of a cultural object
Spezifika der Erhaltungsmaßnahme
Treatment specifics
A cultural object undergoes preventive conservation treatments.
Preventive conservation
Präventive Maßnahme
A cultural object created by a person in a printing technique.
Druckgraphik
Print
A cultural object, mainly text, executed with letter press.
Druckschrift
Printed materials
A cultural object is produced by a person at a certain time at a certain place.
A cultural object is subjected to change of custody or location.
A cultural object is subjected to change of custody or location due to purchase.
Kauf
Purchase
Includes all kinds of representation of the cultural object.
Repräsentation der Ressource
Resource representation
A cultural object undergoes restoration treatments.
Restauratorische Maßnahme
Restoration
Legal licences applied to metadata and images.
Recht
Right
The class is to be used for kontext knodes to link a cultural object to licenses and right owners
Eigentumsrecht
Right ownership
Types of roles that agents can be bearer of.
A cultural object with type seal.
Kennzeichnung mit Siegel
Seal Designation
Group of cultural objects composed as such by its inventor, producer or editor.
Serie
Series
Terms to classify a cultural object to stilistic criteria and art epochs.
Technique used in creation, production and/or edition of a cultural object.
Technik
Technique
Types of titles of a cultural object to specify the origin of the title.
Typ des Titels
Description of watermarks
Watermark
Standard publications, reference books with catalogues or listings of works of art.
Werkverzeichnis
Work index
Reference documenting a cultural object in puplished work index or equivalent literature and/or digital ressource.