Art database software

A real art database — not another spreadsheet with photographs in a folder.

Aurelian is art database software for galleries, private collectors, advisors and artist estates. Every work carries typed fields, its own image library, valuation history and an unbroken provenance chain — searchable, filterable, and exportable the day you need it.

What a proper art database records

Every field below is structured, so you can filter by it, report on it and export it. That is the difference between a catalogue you can trust in an insurance claim and a folder of files you hope is current.

Identity

  • Artist & attribution
  • Title & alternative titles
  • Year / date range
  • Medium & support
  • Dimensions (H × W × D)
  • Edition & impression

Status & location

  • Inventory number
  • Current location
  • Available / on hold / sold
  • Consigned from / to
  • On loan & return date
  • Crate, frame & storage notes

Value

  • Acquisition price & source
  • Asking price
  • Valuation with date & valuer
  • Insurance value
  • Sale price & buyer
  • Commission split

History

  • Provenance chain
  • Exhibition history
  • Literature & press
  • Condition reports
  • Conservation record
  • Certificates & documents

See the database

An illustrative view of the workspace: inventory records, collector files and consignments in one place.

Product preview

See inside the workspace

This is the same workspace you get after signing up, shown with sample data. Click through the tabs.

aurelian · command central

Galleries & Dealers

Overview

Inventory value
€412,800
63 works catalogued
Client lifetime value
€284,050
41 active collectors
Open consignments
12
2 expiring this month
Needs attention
  • Consignment for “Sea Wall III” expires in 9 days
  • Invoice #2026-041 unpaid for 32 days
  • Follow-up due: L. Bertrand (tomorrow)
Recent activity
  • Viewing room opened by Fondation Mercier
  • “Marble Fragment” marked sold — €11,000
  • Condition report attached to AUR-0142

Preview rendered with sample data. Your workspace adapts to the practice you select at sign-up — gallery, artist, collector, advisor, jeweller or watch dealer.

Migrate from a spreadsheet in an afternoon

  1. 01

    Clean the sheet

    Start from our free art inventory spreadsheet template so column names already match the import fields.

  2. 02

    Import in batches

    Upload 50 records, check the mapping, then run the rest. Errors are reported per-row rather than failing the whole file.

  3. 03

    Attach images

    Drag studio and installation photographs onto records and set a primary image for tearsheets and viewing rooms.

  4. 04

    Backfill provenance

    Add ownership history and exhibitions to your top-value works first. The rest can be filled as works move.

Art database software: questions

What is art database software?

Art database software is a structured system for recording every artwork you own, represent or have handled — artist, title, year, medium, dimensions, edition, images, location, condition, valuation and provenance — so any record can be found, filtered, reported on and exported. Unlike a spreadsheet, each field is typed, each work has a media library, and history is preserved rather than overwritten.

How is an art database different from an art inventory list?

An inventory answers 'what do I have right now'. A database also answers 'where has it been, who owned it, what was it worth, what did it sell for, and what is attached to it'. Aurelian keeps the inventory view simple while the underlying database keeps the full history.

What fields should an art database include?

At minimum: artist, title, year, medium, dimensions, edition and impression, inventory number, acquisition source and date, current location, status, price or valuation with date and source, condition notes, exhibition history, literature, and provenance chain. Images should be attached at the record level with a designated primary image.

Can I import an existing spreadsheet or Filemaker database?

Yes. Start from a CSV export. Map your columns to Aurelian's fields, import in batches, and attach images afterwards. Our free art inventory spreadsheet template mirrors the import shape if you want to clean your data first.

Can I export my art database?

Yes — structured CSV or JSON, at any time. Your catalogue is your asset, not ours. Exports include field values and image references.

Is it suitable for a catalogue raisonné or an artist estate?

Yes. Editions, impressions, alternative titles, literature references and disputed attributions are supported as first-class records, which is what estate and catalogue raisonné work depends on.

Build the database once. Keep it for the life of the collection.

One flat subscription, every module included, export anytime.

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