Union List of Artist Names (ULAN)
ULAN is a structured authority database of names, biographical details and relationships for artists and architects, maintained by the Getty Research Institute and used for cataloging and research.
Overview
The Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) is a controlled vocabulary and authority file that documents the names, variant spellings, life dates, nationalities, occupations and brief biographical information for visual artists and architects. Designed to support cataloging, scholarship and data interoperability, ULAN links name records with related people, patrons, collaborators and the subjects of portraits. The database is maintained by the Getty Research Institute and is accessible online through the Getty’s vocabulary services: Getty Research Institute and its public lookup tools online.
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Contents and structure
A ULAN record typically contains an authorized name plus variant names and transliterations, life dates, a brief biographical note, roles or professions, and relationships to other entities. Relationships can include teacher–student ties, familial connections, patrons, workshop assistants and subjects of works. These structured links enable researchers and collections to reconcile different name forms and to navigate networks of influence and attribution.
Typical fields
- Authorized name and variant names (aliases, transliterations)
- Biographical summary and activity dates
- Roles (painter, sculptor, architect, etc.)
- Relationships (teachers, patrons, subjects) — see examples: portrait subjects
- Sources and documentation notes
History and development
The Getty Research Institute began developing ULAN in the 1980s to address the need for consistent name authority control across museums, libraries and archives. Over time it has evolved into a curated, machine-readable vocabulary that can interoperate with other cultural heritage vocabularies and standards. ULAN is part of the suite of Getty Vocabularies that support terminology and authority control in art historical research. For more on scope and updates consult the Getty vocabulary pages: ULAN descriptive overview.
Uses and significance
ULAN is widely used by catalogers, curators, digital humanists and systems that manage collection metadata. By standardizing names and recording relationships, it improves searching, provenance research and data linking across institutions. Its structured format makes it valuable for linked data projects, authority control in library catalogs and for anyone aligning disparate artist name forms in exhibition records, databases or publications.
Questions and answers
Q: What is the Union List of Artist Names?
A: The Union List of Artist Names, or ULAN, is an online database that contains information about visual artists and architects, such as their names, alternative names, biographies, patrons, and subjects of their portraits.
Q: Who runs the ULAN?
A: The ULAN is run by the Getty Research Institute.
Q: When was the ULAN developed?
A: The database was developed by the Getty Research Institute starting in 1984.
Q: What kind of information can be found in the ULAN?
A: The ULAN contains information about visual artists and architects, including their names, alternative names, biographies, patrons, and subjects of their portraits.
Q: What is the purpose of the ULAN?
A: The ULAN serves as a comprehensive reference tool for researching visual artists and architects.
Q: What organization developed the ULAN?
A: The ULAN was developed by the Getty Research Institute.
Q: Can the ULAN be accessed online?
A: Yes, the ULAN is an online database that can be accessed by anyone.
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/132391