Gallery Convention: Height Precedes Width in Artwork Dimensions

The fine art gallery industry mandates a strict standard for listing artwork dimensions: Height x Width x Depth (H x W x D). This convention, which can feel counterintuitive to those from graphic design or photography backgrounds (where width often comes first), is non-negotiable for professional inventory management. Gallery database software expects height first; entering dimensions incorrectly (e.g., 18 x 24 for a vertical piece) can permanently corrupt records. For US sales, inches are preferred over metric, decimals over fractions (e.g., 24.5 not 24 ½), and rounding to the nearest half-inch is acceptable. For framed wall art, only the unframed image size is listed; depth is included for deep panels (e.g., 2-inch gallery wrap). For sculpture, height is measured from base bottom to highest point. Adhering to this standard signals professionalism and respect for gallery systems.