catalogue raisonné

[ kat-l-awg rez-uh-ney, -og; French ka-ta-lawg re-zaw-ney ]

noun

, plural ca·ta·logues rai·son·nés [kat, -l-awgz rez-, uh, -, ney, -ogz, k, a, -t, a, -lawg , r, e-zaw-, ney].

1. a catalog, as of paintings or books, with notes or commentary on the items listed; a classified, descriptive catalog.

catalogue raisonné

/ katalɔɡ rɛzɔne /

noun

1. a descriptive catalogue, esp one covering works of art in an exhibition or collection

Word History and Origins

Origin of catalogue raisonné¹

1775–85; < French: literally, reasoned catalog

Example Sentences

She was the chief editor emerita of the “Jasper Johns Catalogue Raisonné of Drawing,” published in 2018, as well as an adviser to the Houston collector Louisa Stude Sarofim.

From New York Times

Celia is now focused on a catalogue raisonné, a complete accounting of Harry’s work.

From New York Times

“It’s a really beautiful painting, and definitely representative of the direction that Schiele was heading in in the last two years of his life,” said Jane Kallir, the author of the Egon Schiele catalogue raisonné, accessible online at egonschieleonline.org.

From New York Times

The KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin is showing his early works, including many that it says have never been exhibited, through Jan. 15, and the estate is planning to compile a catalogue raisonné, a complete accounting of his output.

From New York Times

The position will also include collaborating on loan exhibitions with other institutions and guiding the catalogue raisonné of Wyeth’s entire output, numbering more than 10,000 finished and unfinished works.

From New York Times