Linked Art API: Textual Works

Last refreshed: 2026-07-06

Source: Textual Works endpoint, part of Linked Art API 1.0, published under CC BY 4.0. This is a project summary; the upstream page is authoritative.

Purpose

The Textual Work endpoint describes linguistic content, such as text carried by printed or digital books, text incorporated into artworks, and other noteworthy textual content. It models the intellectual text as a `LinguisticObject`, separate from physical carriers such as books and digital carriers such as web pages or files.

This endpoint is related to the broader Document model, but its API concern is the dereferenceable JSON-LD description of the text itself.

Required Shape

A Textual Work endpoint record dereferences to one JSON-LD object:

• `@context`: Linked Art context URI, or an array ending with that URI for extensions.
• `id`: dereferenceable HTTP(S) URI for the text.
• `type`: `LinguisticObject`.

Recommended Fields

• `_label`: developer-facing label.
• `classified_as`: classifications following the `Type` structure, such as monograph or chapter.
• `identified_by`: `Name` and/or `Identifier` structures, including titles and identifiers such as ISBNs.

Optional Fields

• `referred_to_by`: statements about the text, such as abstracts.
• `equivalent`: external identities.
• `subject_of`: textual works about the current text.
• `representation`: visual works representing the text.
• `member_of`: set membership.
• `attributed_by`: relationship assignment evidence.
• `language`: languages expressed in the text.
• `dimension`: dimensions such as total word count or page count.
• `part_of`: another `LinguisticObject` or `VisualItem` that contains the text as a part.
• `conceptually_part_of`: an `PropositionalObject` that the text is conceptually part of.
• `content`: string representation of the textual content.
• `format`: media type of the `content` string.
• `about`: entities that the text is primarily about.
• `subject_to`: rights held over the intellectual work.
• `created_by`: `Creation` event for authorship or creation of the text.
• `used_for`: publication or similar `Activity`.

Common Incoming Relationships

• `subject_of` from any endpoint whose entity is the subject of textual content.
• `carries` from a Physical Object, when a physical carrier such as a manuscript or book carries the text.
• `digitally_carries` from a Digital Object, when a digital carrier such as a file or web page carries the text.

Meta Museum Notes

Meta Museum already preserves Textual Work semantics through `/api/records/{id}` fixtures for the Textual Documents profile. Existing coverage proves physical book `HumanMadeObject` carriers link to `LinguisticObject` content through `carries`, textual records preserve monograph/chapter classifications, primary and system identifiers, language, `content`, authorship `Creation`, publishing `Activity`, object `about` references, abstract-work `part_of` links, pagination statements, page-count dimensions, and `digitally_carried_by` digital carriers without collapsing copy, text, and web page into one record.

Test Ideas

• Preserve `LinguisticObject` role coverage for textual records through `/api/records/{id}` and any dedicated textual-work endpoint.
• Preserve `language`, `content`, `format`, `about`, `part_of`, `conceptually_part_of`, and `subject_to`.
• Preserve authorship as `created_by` `Creation`, not as a flattened string.
• Preserve publication evidence as `used_for` `Activity` with place, actor, and timespan when present.
• Preserve carrier boundaries: physical objects use `carries`, digital objects use `digitally_carries`, and the text remains a distinct `LinguisticObject`.