The Getty Research Portal: a decade of progress and developments for the future

Abstract

At its inception in 2012, the Getty Research Portal shattered barriers that previously made digitized resources for art historical research challenging to locate and use without restriction. The Portal's first 10 years were marked by a period of immense growth, forging connections among collections through institutional partnerships. Flexible metadata requirements for contributing to the Portal allows large and small institutions alike to contribute a diverse range of collections but also present ongoing challenges. Work with partner institutions to identify priorities for metadata creation, cataloguing, and imaging has contributed to collection building on a global scale. Various forms of access to Portal materials have been developed alongside collection development efforts to meet new methods in art historical research. Looking to the future, the goals that were set out when the Portal was initiated continue to be the driving force behind what the Portal provides for an ever-evolving field. Ongoing work on the platform is intended to meet the shifting methodology of art historical research through the Portal's established collaborative model and open the door to new questions, new lines of inquiry, and ultimately new conclusions within art history.