Add, edit, or delete an artwork

Introduction

This article explains the steps for adding, editing, or deleting an artwork. Here you'll also find explanations of the fields you can use to catalog your artworks in Artshell.

Do you have a lot of artworks add? Use the advanced import feature to import your Artworks data Artworks your own, or you can always rely on our Concierge service. Click here to learn more about the Concierge service.

Add an artwork

Step 1: Create a new record

Click the top right for Open the record, which is a sidebar on the right where you can enter all the information about the artwork.

You don't have to fill out all the fields in record . You can fill out only the ones you need or are most interested in and add more details later.

Step 2: Fill in the fields

Below is a list of all the fields in the artwork tab.

To view the details of each field, click the corresponding title to expand it:

Image

Use this field to upload images of the artwork.

Click the "Add" button and select the image you want to include in record , then click "Add" again. Repeat this step if you have multiple images of the same work. For a more detailed explanation, if you haven't yet uploaded the images to Medialibrary , see the dedicated article.

Artist

This field allows you to associate a work with an artist. Click "Choose an artist " and type the initials of the artist's first or last name, then select the artist from the drop-down menu. If the artist has not yet been added to Artshell, click the + to create an record . Click here to read the article on how to add artists to your account.

Title, Year, Technique

Title: Enter the title of the artwork.
Year: Enter the year or period when the artwork was created. You can also enter date ranges, centuries, or approximations (approx.).
Technique: Specify the technique or materials used to create the artwork.

Dimensions and weight

Here you can enter the dimensions and weight of the artwork. You can specify the height, width, depth, and diameter, and use the description field to detail the dimensions of Artworks complex Artworks —such as installations, diptychs, or triptychs—for which a single set of fields is not sufficient.

Note: Within the record , Artshell automatically converts measurements between centimeters and inches (cm/in) and between kilograms and pounds (kg/lb), allowing you to view both systems of units.

Edition

Enter the edition number of the work, if applicable.

Signature

Here you can specify whether the artwork bears the artist's signature and its location.

Add a Tag

The "Tag" field allows you to create labels that help describe your Artworks group them together. Click here to read the article about tags for Artworks.

ID and Status

ID: This is the unique inventory number for each collection. Artshell does not automatically assign an ID to each uploaded artwork, which allows you to use whichever naming convention you prefer.

Status: A drop-down menu that allows you to choose from three different statuses for the artwork: Available, Reserved, or Unavailable.

Location

You can use this field to associate a work with a contact that indicates the location of the work.

Price

In this field, you can enter the price of the artwork, specifying the currency, whether or not VAT is included, and adding a descriptive note if desired.

Acquisition

Here you can enter the details of the artwork’s purchase and use the currency drop-down menu to select the currency for the price. Enter the Purchase Price, indicating whetherVAT is included, and use the Tax Type field to add additional notes. Add the date of purchase, the provenance, and a descriptive note if desired.

Insurance

Here you can enter all the details regarding the insurance, such as the cost, the period during which the artwork is insured, the name of the insurer, the policy number, and any other descriptive notes.

Evaluation

In this field, you can file the expert report and appraisal of the work, specifying the expert and the date on which the appraisal was conducted.

Properties and Collection

You can use this field to add details about the artwork's ownership and the collection to which it belongs.

Certification and Rights

Use this field to add details about the certifications associated with the work, whether they involve specific restrictions imposed by the Superintendency, resale rights, copyright, SIAE, or photographic copyright.

Framing, packaging, and quantity

Maximum Dimensions: This section is useful for specifying the dimensions of the artwork, including any mount or frame, when these are not an integral part of the artwork. You can enter the height, width, depth, diameter, and weight.
Condition: A drop-down menu from which you can select whether the artwork’s condition is Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor.
Packaging: Here you can specify details about the artwork’s packaging, the dimensions of the crate, the number of packages, or other descriptive notes.
Quantity: If the artwork you are entering consists of multiple Artworks , you can specify the number Artworks .
Medium: A drop-down menu from which you can select the medium. You can start typing the first few letters of the medium you’re looking for to make selection easier.

Notes

Here you can enter any other notes related to the work

Add folders and attachments

Here you can enter additional information about your work and organize it into folders. Read the related article to learn more.

The History Feature

Fields highlighted in red indicate that the History feature is enabled for that data.

This feature allows you to update information while keeping track of changes over time, without overwriting previous data. For example, you can record a change in the artwork’s location, a new appraisal, or update the purchase price while also retaining the history of previous values.

The History feature is available for both editing individual Artworks bulk updates. Click here to learn how to use the History feature.

Step 3: Save

Once you've entered all the necessary details, click " Save " in the upper-left corner of the artwork tab.

Edit an artwork

To edit an artwork you've already created:

Select the artwork you want to edit to open its details page.
Click the icon to enter mode edit and make the desired changes.
Click Save to confirm your changes.

Delete an artwork

Warning: The Delete function is permanent and irreversible; once a work is deleted, you cannot undo the action or recover it in any way. Artshell has included an additional confirmation prompt to prevent you from deleting Artworks mistake.

If you want to delete a single artwork:

Select the artwork you want to delete.
Click the icon .
Select the last option, Delete.
A confirmation dialog box will appear. To permanently delete the work, click Delete. If you selected the work by mistake, click Cancel.

If you want to clear a selection of artworks:

Use the feature Select Select the Artworks want to delete, then click the icon , select the last option Delete. A confirmation dialog box will appear. To permanently deselect the Artworks Delete. If, on the other hand, you selected " Artworks mistake, click Cancel.

Here is a brief demonstration:

Conclusions

Managing records in Artshell is simple and flexible: you can add, edit, or delete Artworks needed, filling out only the required fields and adding details at any time. The many available options allow you to catalog each artwork accurately and systematically, while always keeping track of changes thanks to the built-in history feature.

Learn more about other features that can help you manage your archive by reading the following articles: