The database at a glance
Artists of the World, which emerged from the Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon (AKL), is the world’s most comprehensive database on visual artists with over 1.25 million entries. In addition to biographical information on individual artists, it contains entries on artist families, artist groups and collectives as well as architectural offices from all over the world and all periods of time.
Artists from all genres of the visual arts are included, as long as they have taken part in relevant exhibitions, are represented in museums and/or are the subject of art historical research. The database is constantly updated and supplemented with new entries. It offers a variety of search criteria and filter options for professional and academic research with a clear, user-friendly interface in English and German.
Structure of the entries
For each person, when known, the following information can be found: name and variants, dates and places of birth and death, places of activity, gender, professions, memberships in groups, and the GND number (with link). Information is supplemented with locations of works, personal testimonies, solo and group exhibitions, as well as sources and related literature.
Artists of the World offers detailed articles on over 267,000 artists, highlighting their training, formative networks, prizes and awards. It traces the artists’ careers, identifying their main techniques and themes, analysing exemplary works, and placing their oeuvre in the context of art history. Also included are entries on lesser-known figures for whom information is difficult to find elsewhere.
Editorial team and authors
Artists of the World is supervised by a specialised editorial team that guarantees the accuracy, consistency and academic quality of the information published. The articles are written by international academics with proven expertise, who incorporate current research perspectives into their work and are credited by name in each article.
Updates and collections
The database grows continuously with regular updates to existing entries, as well as new entries on contemporary artists or based on thematic focuses. To support this effort, the editorial team continuously evaluates reference works, scholarly publications, and major international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale. Thematic focuses, like ‘Artists with a connection to Africa’ or ‘20th-Century Architects’ are developed by the editorial team with the advice of academic experts. Collections related to prestigious art awards, current exhibitions, influential styles, and more also serve as opportunities to further enrich the database.
Additional content
Artists of the World includes additional content from the following reference works: Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart (General Dictionary of Fine Artists from Antiquity to the Present), founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker and published in 37 volumes between 1907 and 1950 (Thieme-Becker); Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler des XX. Jahrhunderts (General Dictionary of Fine Artists of the XXth Century), published by Hans Vollmer in the 1950s; Nürnberger Künstlerlexikon (Nuremberg Artists’ Encyclopaedia); Lexikon der Künstlerinnen (Encyclopaedia of Women Artists); Pariser Lehrjahre: Ein Lexikon zur Ausbildung deutscher Maler in der französischen Hauptstadt (Parisian Apprenticeship Years: An Encyclopaedia on the Training of German Painters in the French Capital).
Supplementary material
The abbreviations used in Artists of the World are explained in an index of abbreviations (Abkürzungsverzeichnis), provided in the below link. Further, you can find a list of all name form types for Asian artists’ names (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) used in this database, including explanatory notes. Click on the links below to view or download the documents.
– Abkürzungsverzeichnis (de)
– Name from types: China, Japan, Korea (de, en)
Give feedback
Help us to continuously improve Artists of the World! We are happy to receive corrections or suggestions regarding usability at AOW@degruyterbrill.com.
Gain full access
For further information and prices for institutional subscriptions please contact our sales department. If you are interested in an individual subscription, please contact orders-journals@degruyter.com.