Constructing Descriptive Records for an Art Image Database: What Do Use Statistics Tell Us?

Abstract

The study compares three sample sets of records taken from the AMICO database to examine possible factors influencing retrieval of images: named artist and artist reputation, word count, and record richness. The authors found that images of works by renowned artists tended to show high numbers of retrievals. When works depicted were by relatively unknown or anonymous artists, more retrievals were likely if accompanying records included higher unique word counts. The frequency of first occurrences of name, geographic, and time terms in the records showed no major differences among the three sets. The authors suggest a strategy for constructing image records.