artMedium

artMedium · No Google docs page

Appears in

VisualArtwork

What is it?

The artMedium property describes the physical material used to create a visual artwork: oil, watercolour, acrylic, marble, linoprint, pencil, digital, or mixed media. Multiple materials can be listed as an array.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "what materials is My Bed by Tracey Emin made from," AI answer engines pull artMedium to list the specific materials. Structured medium data gives the AI an exact inventory rather than requiring it to parse artwork descriptions.

What the specs say

Schema.org:Text, URL. The material used. (E.g. Oil, Watercolour, Acrylic, Linoprint, Marble, Cyanotype, Digital, Lithograph, DryPoint, Intaglio, Pastel, Woodcut, Pencil, Mixed Media, etc.)

Google: No dedicated Google structured data page exists for VisualArtwork.

How to find your value

• Museum catalog entries — "Medium" or "Materials" field
• Gallery wall labels — Material description line
• Artist statements — Techniques and materials section
• Auction records — Lot description
• Art databases — Getty ULAN, Artsy, or Wikidata entries

Format and code

Single medium:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VisualArtwork",
  "name": "La trahison des images",
  "creator": [{"@type": "Person", "name": "René Magritte"}],
  "artMedium": "oil",
  "artworkSurface": "canvas"
}

Multiple materials:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VisualArtwork",
  "name": "My Bed",
  "artform": "installation",
  "creator": [{"@type": "Person", "name": "Tracey Emin"}],
  "artMedium": ["bedsheets", "condoms", "bed"]
}

Using Getty AAT URI:

{
  "artMedium": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300022443"
}

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add artMedium as a text string or array inside your VisualArtwork JSON-LD block in Page Settings > Custom Code > Footer Code.

CMS template pages

Create a CMS text field for medium. For multiple materials, use a comma-separated text field and split it into an array in a custom code embed.

In Schema HQ

The artMedium field does not currently generate VisualArtwork markup. Add medium data manually through Webflow custom code.

Real examples

From Schema.org VisualArtwork Example:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VisualArtwork",
  "name": "La trahison des images",
  "creator": [{"@type": "Person", "name": "René Magritte"}],
  "artMedium": "oil",
  "artworkSurface": "canvas"
}

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "VisualArtwork",
  "name": "My Bed",
  "artform": "installation",
  "creator": [{"@type": "Person", "name": "Tracey Emin"}],
  "artMedium": ["bedsheets", "condoms", "bed"]
}

Related fields

• artform
• artist
• name

FAQ

What is the difference between artMedium and artform?

artMedium is the physical material (oil, marble, linoprint). artform is the artistic discipline or category (painting, sculpture, print). A Magritte oil painting has artMedium "oil" and artform "painting."

Can artMedium hold multiple values?

Yes. Pass an array: "artMedium": ["oil", "acrylic", "gold leaf"]. This is common for mixed media works or installations with multiple materials.

Should I use Getty AAT URIs for artMedium?

For museum collections and institutional catalogs, Getty AAT URIs provide machine-readable precision. For most websites, plain text values are sufficient and more readable.