Milestones 2001 – 2016

As a collaborative project of the University of Cologne, the Humboldt University of Berlin, the Justus Liebig University of Gießen and the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, prometheus will be launched on 1 April. The three-year project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BmB+F) with 1.8 million euros.| » About prometheus
The aims of the project are the consolidation of image databases, interdisciplinary networking and the use of the digital medium for research and teaching. During the project term, 20 databases and more than 150,000 images will be integrated. More than 60 institutions join as associated partners.| » About the project history
To ensure the continuity of the project, the association “prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre e.V.” is founded during the project term. The workshop “Perspektiven” initiated by prometheus shows models of continuity and serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences. | » About the association history
The association is the legal successor of the project in order to ensure the financing and technical structure of prometheus and to further develop the image archive in addition to the overall objectives (promotion of digital media in the arts and cultural sciences). | » About the articles of association
The licensing model is introduced. prometheus receives transitional funding from the University of Cologne and the Sal. Oppenheim Foundation. For the first time, prometheus awards the esPrix – a student prize for the media-didactic application of digital information. | » To the study modules
For the legal security of the association, a contractual agreement is concluded with the BILD-KUNST collecting society. In addition, prometheus initiates a cooperation with the Bildportal der Kunstmuseen (bpk) for straightforward obtaining of publication permission. | » About the copyright and the use of images
prometheus invites you to the conference “Bilder – Daten – Datenbanken – so kann’s gehen!” in Cologne. In addition, “perseus-a” will be launched, a project sponsored by Rheinenergie for the automatic indexing of prometheus and the optimisation of the searching functions of the image archive. | » About perseus-a
From now on, prometheus is able to finance itself independently and cover its operating costs through licence fees. prometheus also gets a new technical basis: As the successor to kleio, pandora (Ruby on Rails) becomes the driving force behind the image archive and is available as Open Source software. | » About pandora
prometheus initiates the digital historical archive Cologne. Following the collapse of the Cologne City Archive – one of the largest and oldest municipal archives in the world – prometheus, with its numerous supporters, is making a significant contribution to the reconstruction and preservation of the cultural memory of the city of Cologne. | » About DHAK
The DFG-funded joint project “Meta-Image” is starting. The aim is to create a virtual research environment for the image discourse in the image-based sciences. The project will expand the possibilities of digital image interpretation and collaborative work in prometheus. | » About Meta-Image
prometheus is now 10 years old and integrates 62 databases with a total of over 800,000 images. To mark the anniversary, prometheus is organising a conference and ceremony entitled “Die digitale Perspektive – eine schöne Aussicht?” In addition, prometheus now informs its users via Facebook and Twitter.| » To the conference page
“Meta-Image” goes into the second funding phase. In addition, the already existing contract with VG Bild-Kunst will be expanded to include making the photographs of works of visual art (“Lichtbilder”) accessible and their use in the context of research and teaching.| » About the copyright and the use of images
The 1-million-image mark is cracked. In addition, the long awaited upload of own images is now available and prometheus obtains the possibility to obtain publication permissions for bpk images for online publications as well. The year ends with the conference “Kulturelles Erbe digital”. | » To the conference page
The new prometheus newsletter with information on the image archive and the topics of digital image worlds, digital research and digital teaching is published every 14 days. In addition, prometheus says a mental farewell to its software “pandora”, which will be replaced function by function in the coming years by the more modern software successor “athene”, which is also based on Ruby on Rails.| » About athene
A project on automatic image understanding is initiated with the Computer Vision Group of the University of Heidelberg. First tests are carried out, applying image analysis methods to crucifixion representations within prometheus. In addition, prometheus is now also available as an app, an image archive to go. | » About the prometheus app
15 years of prometheus – that is 88 integrated databases, over 1.5 million images, almost 10,000 personalized accesses and 159 licensed institutions. And that is something to celebrate. From October 12-14, we are organizing the conference “In, über, unter, jenseits und dazwischen – Ebenen digitaler Bilder”, to which we would like to cordially invite you!| » To the conference page