Table of Contents
Subject
Overview
(Req, Rep, Getty Vocabularies/LOC Authorities/other)
Subject provides a way to record what a work of art is about or what a photograph is of. Subject analysis for images can be incredibly difficult when doing image cataloging, but ask yourself one question… What do you see? The answer will often will lead to an appropriate subject heading, (including elements found in abstract paintings where the composition includes no representative subject matter, but rather only lines and color).
Use the English language equivalent from the thesaurus, unless none exist. Try to be as specific as possible. If the photograph is of a rose use 'rose' rather than 'flower' for a subject. If you don't know the specific type of flower you can use the generic 'flower' as a subject.
It is acceptable for subject terms to repeat or overlap with other items such as title or work type. Subjects may be regarded as separate from other descriptive fields in this regard. Subjects should be recorded for all works, even abstract or architectural works which seem to have no implied narrative or subject matter.
For more information on Subject see CCO, pages 215-229.
Fields
Subject
This is a field to record the display value for the subjects associated with the work. Use values from Getty AAT, Library of Congress or other indexes or thesauri to create terms. Please do not transcribe ampersands (&), replace these in authorities with “and.” Subjects with ampersands cannot be recalled in the Library from the primary Subject field.
Subject variant
If there are alternative terms, spellings, or phases for the same Subject record them here, especially those terms offered in the AAT, LOC, or other authority. Use the Subject variant field to record the singular form of a subject if the preferred is plural. If there is a known alternative term not listed in the authorities, but that would be useful to include, please do.
Subject refid source
Record the thesaurus used to create the Subject record.
Subject refid
Record the refid from the thesaurus for the term used.
Examples
Subject: acropolis
Subject variant: akropolis
Subject refid source: Getty AAT
Subject refid: 300000700
Subject: ruins
Subject variant: ruin
Subject refid source: Getty AAT
Subject refid: 300008057
Subject: camels (mammals)
Subject variant: Camelus (genus)
Subject variant: camel (mammal)
Subject refid source: Getty AAT
Subject refid: 300250139
