Case Study: Richard Diebenkorn Foundation streamlines catalogue raisonné production with Gallery Systems TMS

Using Collections Management Software to Produce an Ambitious Catalogue Raisonné

The Richard Diebenkorn Foundation in Berkeley, California, needed a long-term way to research, organize, and manage the many materials required for an ambitious catalogue raisonné of Richard Diebenkorn’s paintings and works on paper. Working with Gallery Systems, the foundation used The Museum System (TMS) to handle data for thousands of artworks, related documentation, and images while maintaining high standards for accuracy and consistency.

Gallery Systems provided TMS and converted the foundation’s existing Access database so the project could begin immediately. The system gave the team efficient searching, reduced data-entry errors, and a reliable workflow that supported reporting and pre-publication formatting through Crystal Reports. The foundation said TMS saved staff time, improved control over catalogue production, and remained dependable throughout a 21-year relationship, helping manage 5,300 unique artworks for the final 2,000-page, four-volume publication.

Richard Diebenkorn Foundation

Richard Grant

Executive Director