Sample Catalog Entry

Print Identification

Each print in the Catalog of this site is displayed on two page levels. The Exhibit page is the first one you see when accessing the link for that print in the menu on the right of the screen. The Exhibit level presents an image of the print itself, a caption for that image, and a general discussion of the print in relation to art history and Melville’s life as an author and collector.

The Catalog page beneath the Exhibit page is reached by double-clicking on the image of the print. Here that same image is accompanied by the Print Identification in two parts. The upper part records any verbal information visible on the face if the print that Melville owned. As you can see in the sample entry above, the number of the print in the catalog (if a number has been assigned) is followed by the names of the engraver and the artist, if both are known. The title of the print (in italics) is then followed by any information about its place of publication, date, or subject that is visible on the print. [Additional information that I have supplied appears in brackets to separate it from information that was available to Melville on the face of his print.]

The second section of each Print Identification entry begins with the dimensions of the engraved image by height x width in inches. This is followed by the engraving technique that appears to have been used for this print. FRAMED indicates that the print is in a frame that appears to date from Herman Melville’s ownership. ANN: precedes the content of any annotation or other significant marking that appears on the front or back of the print. COLL: precedes an abbreviation for the collector or collection to whom the print currently belongs (full names are found in the Key to Collectors of Prints from Melville’s Collection). EXH: precedes a reference to any exhibition in which Melville’s copy of this print is known to have been shown (as listed in the Key to Exhibitions). COMM: precedes a reference to any published commentary about Melville’s copy of this print (as listed in the Key to Primary Sources or the General Works Cited). Below the Print Identification in the Dublin Core sequence of each catalog page is the Source of the image by which we represent that print on this site.

The Catalog page for each print also contains Tags that will display this print alongside all other prints in Melville’s collection by the same artist, engraver, or engraving technique or which have similar subjects, genres, publication histories or other associations. If the back of any print (verso) has significant annotations or markings, it will also be displayed on the Catalog page of the site. Viewers who wish to closely examine the image of a print on the Catalog page can activate the roving zoom function by clicking on the image of the print itself.