Level 1 · Selection record
A 2016 campaign record proves that an object was included then. It does not establish opening hours, today’s ticket price or the object’s current location. Keep the document date visible when using it.
Level 2 · Collection record
A current institutional record can establish title, attribution, material and collection ownership. Read attribution language carefully: the Erasmus House now identifies the Adoration triptych with Gielis Panhedel, from Bosch’s workshop, rather than simply repeating the historic Bosch label.
Level 3 · Current presentation
A museum’s current display or exhibition page provides stronger evidence for visibility. A living collection needs a further seasonal check: Meise’s current Victoria account describes V. cruziana, whereas the historical selection named V. amazonica.
Level 4 · Your visit date
Confirm access for the actual date. Ixelles announces reopening in March 2027, so an older page is not evidence of an ordinary visit in October 2026. Keep a source URL and check date; when uncertain, contact the museum rather than inventing certainty.
- Whole image — Describe the strongest visible contrast.
- Locate a detail — Follow a colour, gesture or line.
- Compare — Test your observation on a second work.
- Question — Ask what evidence could change your reading.