Coding Provenance: Workshop on Computational Provenance Research. A Collaboration between Leuphana’s Provenance Lab and the Getty Provenance Index.

The Coding Provenance workshop marks the launch of an annual series devoted to training in computational techniques for provenance research. Bringing together scholars and practitioners from fields such as provenance studies, art history, history, material culture, and cultural/social anthropology, the workshop explores how computational methods and techniques can open new pathways for analyzing, interpreting, and rethinking provenance data.
Over four days, participants will take part in a dynamic program that combines lectures, hands-on sessions, and open discussions. We will explore how artificial intelligence can assist with collecting, structuring, analyzing, and visualizing provenance data. Alongside technical training, the workshop provides a space for critical reflection on epistemological and methodological challenges that arise when digitizing archival information, applying data models, machine learning algorithms, and large-scale analysis to provenance research.
This first edition will take place in person at Leuphana University of Lüneburg in Germany. It will include two preparatory online sessions to encourage early collaboration and tailor parts of the content to participants’ interests. The workshop is organized by the Provenance Lab at Leuphana University and the Getty Provenance Index at the Getty Research Institute.
The Provenance Lab is an interdisciplinary research initiative that explores provenance as a source of insight into broader cultural and social dynamics. Focusing on object-based provenance data, the Lab examines object histories not only at the level of individual artworks but as a rich empirical resource for analyzing patterns of movement, collection, and exchange over time. By combining provenance research with data science, the Lab develops and refines methodologies, interoperable models, and data standards, aiming to enhance the field of provenance studies.
The Getty Provenance Index (GPI) provides open access to data drawn from primary sources like dealer stock books and sales catalogs, enabling the tracing of artwork ownership and market histories as far back as the 16th century. Now published as linked data, the GPI unlocks new possibilities for applying computational methods to provenance research, enabling large-scale exploration of ownership patterns, the identification of previously unrecognized relationships within the dataset, and the integration of GPI data with other cultural heritage resources.

Organizers: Bárbara Romero Ferrón, PhD, and Prof. Dr. Lynn Rother, Provenance Lab, Leuphana University of Lüneburg; Giulia Taurino, PhD, and Sandra van Ginhoven, PhD, Getty Provenance Index, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles

Where: Leuphana University Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany

When:
Preparatory Online Sessions: October 24, 6:00 pm (CET) & November 21, 6:00 pm (CET). These sessions are mandatory.
Workshop in person: December 18, 3:30 pm (CET) to December 21, 2025, 1:00 pm (CET).

Participants: Limited to 16

Eligibility: The workshop is open to provenance researchers, museum professionals, and humanities scholars at different career stages, including early-career and senior scholars. A minimum of a completed Master’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) is required to participate. No prior technical expertise is required.

Funding: We are committed to fostering fair and inclusive participation. To support this, the Coding Provenance Workshop will be free of charge. Hotel accommodation for three nights will be covered by the Provenance Lab and the Getty Research Institute, and travel grants will be available based on demonstrated need and geographical location.

Application: Send your application through this Google form: https://forms.gle/VBDy3EeLuesgrkDQ9
We cannot accept applications submitted via email.

Application Deadline: August 24th, 2025

We will inform applicants by September 12, 2025.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us: barbara.romero_ferronleuphana.de