A catalogue raisonné is an authoritative, comprehensive, annotated compilation of all the known works of an artist. Catalogues raisonnés are important tools for researching attribution and provenance of artworks. They are also known as:
- Oeuvre
- Catalogo Ragionato
- Opera Completa
- Werkverzeichnis
- Leben und Werk
- Complete Works
- Critical Catalogue
- Life and Work
The Barber Fine Art Library has many catalogues raisonnés. They are not shelved as a single collection, but along with other books on an artist. Some are in the Barber Fine Art Library Reading Rooms, but most are in the Research Reserve.
Catalogues raisonnés are generally regarded as authoritative standard texts which can be used to determine the authenticity of specific artworks. Some may be a single volume, whereas some may run to several volumes. For example, the catalogue raisonné for Paul Klee is in ten volumes. For certain artists, whether or not a work of art is included in a respected catalogue raisonné might affect its monetary value, sometimes considerably. If you have watched the BBC documentary series Fake or Fortune? you may have seen the team of presenters consulting the relevant catalogue raisonné to help establish the authenticity and value of the painting being examined.
For more information see ourresource list What are catalogues raisonnés? which lists many of the Catalogues raisonnés in the Barber Fine Art Library.