Indianapolis Museum of Art Creates Database of Deaccessioned Artwork

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Mar 18th 2009 at 8:01AM

Many museums are deaccessioning works of art but the Indianapolis Museum of Art is making it easy for potential buyers to find out which pieces will be up for sale. The museum has created a searchable database of recently deaccessioned artworks on its website. The list includes information on when a piece will be sold at auction, valuation, provenance and in some cases a picture of the piece. The deaccessioned works include coins, paintings and even pieces of vintage lace.

ArtDaily reports that the database is part of a whole new level of transparency for the museum. Later the database will be used to show how money raised by deaccessioned artworks will be used to buy new pieces by including links from deaccessioned works to new acquisitions (proceeds from deaccessioned works are used only to acquire other works of art and not used to pay operating expenses). The piece shown at right is a Madonna and Child on a wood panel which will be auctioned off as part of Christie's Interiors sale on June 26.

Tags: art, deaccessioned art, DeaccessionedArt, indianapolis museum of art, IndianapolisMuseumOfArt, museum

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Brian Mar 19th 2009 9:22AM

If like me you don't know what "Deaccessioning" means, please follow this link for a good explaination:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collection_(museum)