The historical context
A caption can identify a person, event or date that an image alone cannot establish. Preserve it with the source identity when making an archive note. Then distinguish the caption’s claims from what you can directly observe in the picture. An attractive image should not be assigned to a season merely because its visual style seems appropriate.
A clearer way to read the evidence
Compare the caption with dated records if the identity matters to an article. If the archive has incomplete information, retain that uncertainty rather than replacing it with a confident guess. Linking caption, source and image allows later corrections to be made openly. It also keeps an illustration from quietly becoming evidence for an event it has not been shown to depict.
Keep in your notes
- Retain the original caption.
- Check important dates and identities.
- Keep uncertain attribution visible.