The Ongoing Translation of the Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus® into Portuguese: An Art Information Access and Retrieval Tool for Cultural Institutions in Portuguese-Speaking Countries

Abstract

Developed by the Getty Vocabulary Program, the Art & Architecture Thesaurus® (AAT) is a tool for cataloging and indexing works of art and other cultural objects. It was begun in 1979 by a group of librarians who needed specific art terms for cataloging art information. In the early 1980s, the AAT was incorporated into the Getty Art History Information Program. Originally comprising only English terms, it has become more inclusive over the years through translation into other languages, including Portuguese. The first Portuguese translation project began in 2016; the second project began in 2020 and was made possible through the Getty Graduate Internship Program. These AAT translation projects facilitate the access and retrieval of art collection information by Portuguese-language users around the world.