Recto and verso

Recto and verso label the faces of a leaf. In detached or remounted material, a modern catalogue’s face designation may not reveal how the leaf sat in its original binding. Preserve the institution’s label when linking a transcription or photograph, rather than assuming the more decorated side must be recto.

A composite photograph may place faces side by side. That arrangement is an image presentation, not evidence that the leaf was originally unfolded or displayed in that manner. The Cleveland folio used here has face-specific catalogue entries; those entries are the correct starting point for discussing its text.

A face can contain writing, painting, ownership marks or later backing. These are content observations, not reasons to change its name. Orientation may also be affected by later album mounting. Record whether an image is rotated and whether the source gives a reading direction.

Never detach backing or force open a mounting to inspect the other face. Published records and qualified conservation examination are safer ways to recover information. If the reverse has not been seen, state that limit instead of describing it as blank.