Abstract
In March 1993, we could realize our wishes: invitation of Mr. Jan van der Wateren to Japan, and his two lectures. In one of the lectures, he talked about a case of a system built to link bibliographic data to artistic data in the Victoria & Albert Museum where he serves as its chief librarian. In the other lecture, he treated a history of artists' books, which can be naturally read as books, and equally be seen as works of art. He developed this subject with detailed examples, from the standpoint of interrelation between history of books and works of art. Japanese people engaged in art documentation have not ever enjoyed any chance to take direct and clear advice on this theme from any overseas counterpart. In this meaning, his lectures have successfully clarified importance and brilliant sides of the task which most art documentalists have been reluctant to tackle with among a variety of their jobs. Thanks to Mr. Wateren, Japanese art documentation circles have come to recognize or reconfirm the implicit duty.
