For collectors
Art collection management software that stays out of your way
Most collectors start with a spreadsheet. It works for a while, then it doesn't. Art collection management software connects structured artwork details, images, provenance, location, and supporting records in one private system.
Start a clear record of your collection
Sign up, set your account type to Collector or Both, and begin with the works that matter most. Add the rest at your own pace.
Free plan supports 5 artworks. No credit card required.
Why collectors need more than a spreadsheet
A collection is not just a list of titles and artists. It also has provenance, price records, locations, images, and supporting notes or documents. A spreadsheet can list some of these details, but it does not naturally connect them to each artwork and its related activity.
When you need to review records with an insurer, confirm provenance for a sale, or prepare a selection for a loan, connected artwork records make the source material easier to find and check.
Built for collectors, not only artists
Artwork Codex supports three account types: artist, collector, or both. Collector records can include the artist name alongside the title, year, medium, dimensions, price, provenance, location, images, and notes. Publishing a public portfolio remains optional.
The same structured inventory can record works you collect as well as works you create, without requiring you to publish either publicly.
What the record for each piece looks like
- Artist name, title, year, medium, dimensions
- Recorded price and currency
- Provenance, exhibition history, and general notes
- Status, current location, collections, and tags
- Images for visual identification and condition reference
- Private supporting documents on Studio, such as receipts or appraisals
- Up to 20 media items per work on Studio, including original-resolution images and video
Start with the identifying details you have, then add supporting context as it becomes available. The record can grow without forcing every collection into the same documentation process.
Prepare records for insurance reviews
Insurance requirements vary by insurer, policy, location, and the value of each work. Artwork Codex keeps photographs, artwork details, recorded prices, provenance, notes, and current locations together so you can review the source records with your insurer or broker. It does not determine a valuation or guarantee coverage or claim acceptance.
You can generate a PDF using selected artwork fields. Paid plans can export record data as CSV, while Studio can export stored media and keep private supporting documents with each artwork. Confirm the format and evidence your insurer requires. See the full artwork insurance guide for how to work with your insurer.
Provenance, kept where it belongs
Provenance is the story of who owned a work and how it came to you. That story is what supports resale value, legal title, and insurability. It lives best where the work lives — attached to the record, not scattered across emails, receipts, and an auction catalogue on a shelf.
Every record in Artwork Codex has a provenance field, general notes, and linked images. On Studio, private artwork documents can keep a receipt, auction invoice, appraisal, or gift letter with the record.
Loans and exhibitions
Lending a work to an institution or gallery is a common reason to move a piece, and a common place for records to drift. Log the exhibition, the dates, the venue, and the return plan. The exhibition history stays attached to the artwork record for as long as you own the piece.
When you sell the work or pass it on, that exhibition history goes with the record — a simple way to preserve the full story of the piece.
Privacy by default
Your collection records are private. Row-level security means only you can see your data — even other Artwork Codex users can't. You don't have to turn a portfolio on, and there's no public listing of your collection anywhere on the site.
If you want to share a specific selection — say, with an advisor, an insurer, or a family member — a password-protected viewing room lets you share a curated subset without exposing the full collection.
A practical start
- Start with your most recent and most valuable pieces.
- Record purchase details in notes; on Studio, attach the supporting document.
- Photograph each piece from multiple angles, including the back.
- Generate a current PDF or data export for policy review.
- Add older works gradually — 15 minutes a week beats a weekend binge.
The collection record only exists if you make it. But it doesn't have to be built in one pass. A consistent workflow is what separates collectors whose records support them from collectors rebuilding from scratch when something goes wrong.