Marks on Art database online

6 November 2024
Zegenend Christuskind met wereldbol, met op de voorzijde van de sokkel de Mechelse M, het keurmerk van het Mechelse Sint-Lucasgilde voor de kwaliteit van de polychromie, en op de onderzijde de drie Mechelse paaltjes, het gildekeurmerk voor de kwaliteit van het hout, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aken

The RKD launches Marks on Art, a new database featuring marks on late medieval sculpture and on sixteenth- and seventeenth-century paintings from the Northern and Southern Netherlands. The database is part of RKD Research and was developed in close cooperation with specialists in the field. Marks on Art will be continuously enhanced with new data.

Different types of marks

Several types of marks appear on sculptures and paintings, each with a specific function and origin. Maker’s marks, such as master's marks, workshop marks, and those of copperplate or panel makers, were applied by the artist or craftsman themselves. Guild marks, added by the local guild, ensured the quality of the materials used. Some sculptures and paintings also bear (traces of) groove or forest marks – geometric motifs carved into the wood with a groove knife. These marks indicate the trade and transport of wood, often originating from Eastern Europe. A separate category consists of positioning marks, usually numbers or letters, which show how different statue groups were to be arranged, for example, in a carved altarpiece.

Pieter de Bloot, Sint Maarten en de bedelaar, met op de achterzijde het Rotterdamse paneelmakersmerk ‘4MM’, Victoria and Albert Museum, Londen
Pieter de Bloot, St. Martin and the beggar, with on the reverse the Rotterdam panelmaker ‘4MM’. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Unique information about artworks

All these marks provide unique information about the artwork, relating to the maker, dating, place of manufacture, materials used, and production process. They can also offer insights into previous restorations and the object’s provenance history. Each record in Marks on Art contains a detailed description of a mark, accompanied by one or more images, and is linked to the corresponding artwork in RKDimages. By systematically compiling marks in a database, it becomes easier to recognize patterns in the marks and connect artworks to specific makers, workshops, or periods. Additionally, connections can be made with technical research data, such as those from Dendro4Art. This database serves as a valuable tool for researchers and restorers, enabling them to make informed decisions in the conservation and further study of art objects.

Zegenend Christuskind met wereldbol, met op de voorzijde van de sokkel de Mechelse M, het keurmerk van het Mechelse Sint-Lucasgilde voor de kwaliteit van de polychromie, en op de onderzijde de drie Mechelse paaltjes, het gildekeurmerk voor de kwaliteit van het hout, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aken
Blessing Christ Child with globe, with on the front of the pedestal the Malines M, the hallmark of the Malines Saint Luke's guild for the quality of the polychromy, and on the underside the three Malines poles, the guild hallmark for the quality of the wood. Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen

Feedback requested

The current Marks on Art database contains over 1500 marks and can be found at research.rkd.nl/en. The project is ongoing, and new marks will be added continuously. To the right of the search bar, you can select Marks on Art. Several fields, including literature and remarks, will be added at a later phase. The RKD welcomes feedback from users of this first version of Marks on Art for its further development. Questions, comments, and suggestions can be sent to marksonart@rkd.nl.

The project Marks on Art was made possible with financial support from Natuurbehoud Pater David VZW, Thomas Leysen, Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR), the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and the Mondriaan Fund.