Ausgestellten

Ausgestellten is a declined form of the German past participle ausgestgestellt, which comes from the verb ausstellen meaning to exhibit, display, or put on view. In modern usage, ausgestellten functions primarily as an adjective or as part of a participial phrase describing items or works that have been shown in a display or exhibition.

Forms and usage

As an adjective in plural, ausgestellten appears after a definite article or other determiner in all cases. Examples include die ausgestellten Objekte (nominative plural), die ausgestellten Objekte (accusative plural), den ausgestellten Objekten (dative plural), der ausgestellten Objekte (genitive plural). The base participle ausgestellt is used in compound or perfect constructions, such as Die Objekte sind ausgestellt oder Die Objekte wurden ausgestellt. In catalogs, wall texts and art criticism, the phrase die ausgestellten Objekte is common for referring to items that are currently on display. In some contexts, notably in formal writing or headings, Ausgestellten can be used as a nominalized form meaning “the exhibited ones,” though this usage is less frequent and typically capitalized.

Etymology and related forms

The form derives from ausstellen (to exhibit). Other inflected forms correspond to gender and number: ausgestellter (masculine singular nominative), ausgestellte (feminine singular or plural after different determiners), and ausgestellten (plural dative/genitive endings or as the base adjective in plural). As a rule, the endings follow German adjective declension patterns after definite articles.

Function

Ausgestellten serves to label or describe items that have been placed on display. It is most common in museum, gallery, and exhibition contexts and conveys that the subjects have been presented to the public.