After many years of work, the Catalogue Raisonné of Gérard Schneider is now available online. A significant milestone in our understanding of the artist’s work, this publication is the result of painstaking efforts that involved collecting and sorting many archives, as well as cross-checking and making good use of the information concerned.
Catalogue raisonné
A Catalogue Raisonné is an inventory of all the known works by an artist, in the most exhaustive form possible. This authoritative publication may be structured in a number of ways: in chronological, thematic or stylistic terms. In the case of Gérard Schneider’s Catalogue Raisonné, a chronological structure naturally stood out as the best way to convey the rich nature of his body of work and stylistic evolutions.
A Catalogue Raisonné primarily consists of a precise, physical description of each of the artist’s works: their titles, techniques and dimensions. This is followed by information concerning the “life” of the works, i.e. their provenance and appearances at public sales. This also includes details of exhibitions and publications relating to each artwork. All of this information is based on photographs of the works, as well as all of the archival materials that make it possible to document the body of work and its history as accurately as possible.
In the context of Gérard Schneider’s body of work, the authors have first sought to document his paintings (on canvas or panels) and works on paper; these will be joined by prints, tapestries and other works such as mosaics and volume-based creations in a second phase.
The Catalogue Raisonné is a fundamental tool for collectors, dealers, auction houses, art historians, curators and students. This documented inventory enables us to appreciate all the known works by the artist, which is essential in order to judge the importance and historical significance of his body of work and to trace the history of each artwork.
For the Catalogue Raisonné of Gérard Schneider, the publisher and the authors have opted for a 100% digital publication, which will be accessible to all at any time. The Catalogue Raisonné is a “living” knowledge base that can be updated with new information on a daily basis. The use of a digital format offers access to the most precise information possible and thus enables a real dialogue between the works and their owners. This relationship – which is as contemporary as it gets! – is a reflection of Gérard Schneider’s work: being both eminently rich and dynamic.
Online Catalogue Raisonné
