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• 2011
• Domain
• Exhibit map

Maximilian Schich is an art historian working as DFG Visiting Research Scientist at the BarabásiLab—Center for Complex Network Research at Northeastern University in Boston, where he collaborates with network scientists, studying complex networks in art history and archaeology. This map presents a comprehensive picture of an entire scholarly database—the Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture Known in the Renaissance. The map goes beyond the theoretic debates of database standards, formats, and software by depicting the actual configuration of existing data. Focusing on the connectivity of database entries, the map improves oversimplified—and, therefore, often wrong—indicators of data quality such as the raw number of records. Annotations in the map highlight a multitude of valuable insights that scholars can use to guide data access, management, and research. Similar maps can be produced for relational databases or linked open data in any domain. This map was created just before the transition from a graph database system (http://www.dyabola.de) to a more traditional relational database format (http://www.census.de), allowing for comparison of the historic state with future achievements.