digital humanities and linked data
TRANSCRIPT
Inger Leemans Lora Aroyo Cristina-Iulia BucurDepartment of History Department of Computer Sciences Department of Computer Sciences & Bioinformatics
Chris Dijkshoorn Sebastien Valkenberg Leon WesselsDepartment of Computer Sciences University Library Department of History
Digital Humanities and Linked DataResearching Early Modern Creative Industries
Outline
● Digital Humanities○ Context and examples of research
○ The importance of the Rijksmuseum
○ Creating an ideal research environment
● Digital Humanities and Linked Data○ Querying datasets
○ Linking datasets
○ Different perspectives on data
Digital HumanitiesIn Context
● Humanities○ Archaeology, History, Arts, Philosophy, Music,
Literature, Languages, Religion and Media
● Digital Humanities○ Focus on digital/digitized sources
○ New methods of research
○ Discovering new patterns, concepts and motives
Examples of ResearchCreative Industries in the Dutch Republic
CREATE: Creative Amsterdam an E-Humanities Perspective (UvA)
Mapping Nodes and Notes (Huygens / KNAW)
Examples of ResearchCreative Industries in the Dutch Republic
Digital HumanitiesRijksmuseum Amsterdam
● Important resource for researchers○ Large size: over 1,000,000 objects
○ Unique masterpieces
○ Representation of Dutch Art (AD 1200-today)
● The role of the Rijksmuseum in Digital
Humanities
Digital HumanitiesResearch interest
Creative industries
Illustrated books
Picture bibles
Research QuestionsHow often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in prints that have been published in the Dutch Republic in the 17th and 18th century?
Research QuestionsHow often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in prints that have been published in the Dutch Republic in the 17th and 18th century?
How often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in Early Modern Dutch picture bibles?
Research QuestionsHow often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in prints that have been published in the Dutch Republic in the 17th and 18th century?
How often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in Early Modern Dutch picture bibles?
How did Abraham’s emotional expression develop in the course of time?
What is important for DH researchers?Expert Workshop at the VU
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
Background information
It is made clear to what extent the collection has been digitized
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
Background information
It is made clear to what extent the collection has been digitized
Reproducibility Researchers are able to refer to the state of a dataset in a given point in time
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
Background information
It is made clear to what extent the collection has been digitized
Reproducibility Researchers are able to refer to the state of a dataset in a given point in time
Integrated collections Multiple collections can be queried
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
Background information
It is made clear to what extent the collection has been digitized
Reproducibility Researchers are able to refer to the state of a dataset in a given point in time
Integrated collections Multiple collections can be queried
Standardized metadata Metadata have been attuned to each other
What is important for DH researchers?The ideal research environment
Provenance The source of data is known
Presentation Results can be quantified and presented as tables/graphs
Background information
It is made clear to what extent the collection has been digitized
Reproducibility Researchers are able to refer to the state of a dataset in a given point in time
Integrated collections Multiple collections can be queried
Standardized metadata Metadata have been attuned to each other
Enrichment Researchers can add sets of (meta)data for their own research projects
Digital HumanitiesThe benefits of Linked Data
● It provides a framework to publish data
Digital HumanitiesThe benefits of Linked Data
● It provides a framework to publish data● Researchers can query a dataset using query
language
Digital HumanitiesThe benefits of Linked Data
● It provides a framework to publish data● Researchers can query a dataset using query
language● Multiple sets of (meta)data can be queried in a
single interface
Digital HumanitiesThe benefits of Linked Data
● It provides a framework to publish data● Researchers can query a dataset using query
language● Multiple sets of (meta)data can be queried in a
single interface● Combined datasets allow researchers to answer
more complex research questions
Digital HumanitiesThe benefits of Linked Data
● It provides a framework to publish data● Researchers can query a dataset using query
language● Multiple sets of (meta)data can be queried in a
single interface● Combined datasets allow researchers to answer
more complex research questions● Researchers can add their own (meta)data
Linked DataTriple Statements
Subject Predicate Object
Landschap met figuren uit het
Oude Testament
the sacrifice of Isaac
dc:subject
Linked DataUniform Resource Identifiers
● Every element has a web address
● The data at the web address describes the element
● Others can refer to the same address
http://purl.org/collections/nl/rm
a/RP-P-1886-A-10025
http://iconclass.org/71C131
http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/subject
Linked DataThe Linked Data Cloud
Linked DataDatasets released as Linked Data
● Collections○ Smithsonian
○ British Museum
○ Amsterdam Museum
● Vocabularies○ Getty GTN/ULAN/AAT
○ Iconclass
○ KB STCN
Linked DataQuerying datasets
● Graph based query language -> SPARQL
● Example query for answering
How often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in prints that have been published in the Dutch Republic in the 17th and 18th century?
Linked DataKoninklijke Bibliotheek STCN
● Short-Title Catalogue, Netherlands○ The Dutch retrospective bibliography for the period
1540-1800○ Can provide context for the Rijksmuseum prints
● Linked Data version released in 2015○ SPARQL workshop for researchers
Linked DataLinking the Rijksmuseum and STCN
Landschap met figuren uit het
Oude Testament
the sacrifice of Isaac
dc:subject
“Tweede staat van deze prent gebruikt als titelpagina voor: Hoet, Gerard. Figures de la Bible. Amsterdam: Bernard Picart, 1720.”
skos:note
Linked DataLinking the Rijksmuseum and STCN
Landschap met figuren uit het
Oude Testament
the sacrifice of Isaac
dc:subject
“Tweede staat van deze prent gebruikt als titelpagina voor: Hoet, Gerard. Figures de la Bible. Amsterdam: Bernard Picart, 1720.”
skos:note
Figures de la Bible
dcterms:hasPart
● Possible to query multiple datasets at once
How often was the sacrifice of Isaac depicted in Early Modern Dutch picture bibles?
Linked DataQuerying multiple datasets
PerspectivesData completeness
● The Rijksmuseum will not cover all aspects researchers are interested in
● Linked Data allows everyone (even researchers) to make statements about subjects
● Collection data can be extended with new perspectives
Emotion researchAdding new perspectives
● How to answer the last research question?
How did Abraham’s emotional expression develop in the course of time?
● Gather data about the depicted emotions
ConclusionDigital Humanities & Linked Data
● Linked Data supports more quantitative
research
● Linking collections provides context
● There are requirements for making a collection
useful to researchers
● Collection data can be extended with new
perspectives
Thank you!
Questions?
DiscussionDigital Humanities & the Rijksmuseum
● With what purpose in mind is the Rijksmuseum collection data created?
DiscussionDigital Humanities & the Rijksmuseum
● With what purpose in mind is the Rijksmuseum collection data created?
● Is quantitative research on the Rijksmuseum collection possible?
DiscussionDigital Humanities & the Rijksmuseum
● With what purpose in mind is the Rijksmuseum collection data created?
● Is quantitative research on the Rijksmuseum collection possible?
● How would you describe the current role of the Rijksmuseum within the field of Digital Humanities?
DiscussionDigital Humanities & the Rijksmuseum
● With what purpose in mind is the Rijksmuseum collection data created?
● Is quantitative research on the Rijksmuseum collection possible?
● How would you describe the current role of the Rijksmuseum within the field of Digital Humanities?
● Should/could the Rijksmuseum play a more active role?
Backup printscreens
http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/subject
http://rijksmuseum.sealinc.eculture.labs.vu.nl/yasgui/index.html?query=PREFIX+rma%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fcollections%2Fnl%2Frma%2F%3E%0APREFIX+dc%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fdc%
2Felements%2F1.1%2F%3E%0APREFIX+ic%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Ficonclass.org%2F%3E%0A%0ASELECT+%3Fprint+WHERE+%7B%0A++%3Fprint+dc%3Asubject+ic%3A71C131+.%0A%7D
http://rijksmuseum.sealinc.eculture.labs.vu.nl/browse/list_resource?r=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.kb.nl%2Fcatalogus%2F274059983
http://rijksmuseum.sealinc.eculture.labs.vu.nl/yasgui/index.html?query=PREFIX+rma%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fcollections%2Fnl%2Frma%2F%3E%0APREFIX+dc%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fdc%
2Felements%2F1.1%2F%3E%0APREFIX+ic%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Ficonclass.org%2F%3E%0APREFIX+dcterms%3A+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fdc%2Fterms%2F%3E%0A%0ASELECT+%
3Fbible+WHERE+%7B%0A++%3Fbible+dcterms%3AhasPart+%3Fprint+.%0A++%3Fprint+dc%3Asubject+ic%3A71C131+.%0A%7D
http://rijksmuseum.sealinc.eculture.labs.vu.nl/browse/list_resource?r=http://data.kb.nl/thesaurus/155445197