Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

Les guides électroniques de la SMQ

Technique (Physical Description)

Field to be used with an authority listField used for ethnology and history collectionsField used for fine and decorative arts collectionsField used for science and technology collectionsField used for archaeology collections (object data and site data)Société des musées québécois Info-Muse database field

Definition:

  • This field indicates the processes, methods or techniques used to manufacture the object.

Observations:

  1. For better search results in your database, avoid using a large variety of terms; draw up an authority list and add keywords as necessary.1
  2. You may also indicate whether the object is artisanal or industrial.
    Example

      Object Name bottle
      Material glass
    Technique artisanal; blown

Entry rules:

  1. Enter the adjectives describing the techniques from the most predominant to the least predominant. Entries should be separated by a semicolon followed by a space. They should also correspond to the entries in the Material field.
    Example

      Object Name button
      Material shell
    Technique turned; polished; bored
  2. Describe the object with a singular adjective or past participle used as an adjective.
    Example

      Object Name box
     Material wood, mahogany; lacquer
    Technique lacquered
     and not 
     Technique lacquer
  3. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the word.
    Example

      Object Namevase
      Material ceramic, terracotta
    Technique thrown; painted ?; fired

 
  1. For a standardized list of terms, you can consult Ewing, Calum. Standards for the use of the Material (MA), Technique (MT) and related fields in the Humanities National Database of the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN). Ottawa: Canadian Heritage Information Network, 1992.
Top of the page top
www.smq.qc.ca © Société des musées du Québec