Linked Art API: Physical Objects

Last refreshed: 2026-07-06

Source: Physical Objects 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 Physical Object endpoint describes tangible human-made things such as paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, buildings, object parts, and other physical carriers of artwork content. This is a core Linked Art endpoint and often has the richest record shape.

Required Shape

A Physical Object 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 object.
• `type`: `HumanMadeObject`.

Recommended Fields

• `_label`: developer-facing label.
• `classified_as`: classifications following the `Type` structure, such as painting, artwork, manuscript, or collection item.
• `identified_by`: `Name` and/or `Identifier` structures, including titles and accession numbers.

Optional Descriptive Fields

• `referred_to_by`: statements about the object.
• `equivalent`: external identities.
• `representation`: visual works representing the object.
• `member_of`: sets that include the object.
• `subject_of`: textual works focused on the object.
• `attributed_by`: relationship assignment evidence.
• `part_of`: larger physical object of which this object is a part.
• `dimension`: dimensions such as height, width, depth, or weight.
• `made_of`: materials, modeled as `Material`.

Optional Ownership, Custody, And Location Fields

• `current_owner`: current person or group owner.
• `current_custodian`: current person or group custodian.
• `current_permanent_custodian`: normal custodian when current custody may differ.
• `current_location`: current `Place`.
• `current_permanent_location`: normal `Place` when current location may differ.
• `held_or_supported_by`: physical object that holds, contains, or supports the current object.

Optional Content And Activity Fields

• `carries`: textual works carried by the object.
• `shows`: visual works shown by the object.
• `used_for`: activity in which the object was instrumental but where the activity does not have its own identity.
• `produced_by`: `Production` event for the object.
• `destroyed_by`: `Destruction` event for the object.
• `removed_by`: `PartRemoval` activity for removing the object from a larger object.
• `modified_by`: `Modification` activity, such as conservation treatment.
• `encountered_by`: `Encounter` activity, such as discovery.
• `changed_ownership_through`: `Acquisition` provenance activity.

Acquisition Additions

`changed_ownership_through` uses `Acquisition` activity fields plus:

• `transferred_title_from`: previous person or group owner(s).
• `transferred_title_to`: new person or group owner(s).

Common Incoming Relationships

• `used_specific_object` from activities that used a specific physical object.
• `influenced_by` from activities influenced by the object.
• `transferred_title_of` from provenance activities.
• `transferred_custody_of` from provenance activities.
• `moved` from movement activities.
• `applies_to` from rights activities.
• `carried_by` from textual works.
• `shown_by` from visual works.

Meta Museum Notes

Meta Museum exposes physical objects through `/api/objects/{id}` and preserves full object records through `/api/records/{id}`. Current coverage includes `HumanMadeObject`, titles and identifiers, vocabulary classifications, descriptions, dimensions with `MeasurementUnit`, materials, current owner/custodian/location, physical containment, `carries`, `shows`, production, destruction, modification, part removal, encounter, acquisition, custody transfer, movement, rights, object-level `equivalent[]`, and dataset export pagination/reuse packaging. Activity-stream coverage projects object lifecycle and provenance events without treating semantic `Destruction` as an ActivityStreams tombstone `Delete`.

Test Ideas

• Keep `/api/objects/{id}` role coverage aligned with `HumanMadeObject`.
• Preserve an object fixture with multilingual names, accession number, dimensions, materials, ownership, location, `shows`, `carries`, and `produced_by`.
• Preserve lifecycle and provenance fields: `destroyed_by`, `removed_by`, `modified_by`, `encountered_by`, and `changed_ownership_through`.
• Verify `current_location` is a `Place` and current owner/custodian values are `Person` or `Group`.
• Keep `Destruction`/`Dissolution` as semantic record events, with ActivityStreams `Delete` reserved for real upstream tombstones.