----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Whoever owns the art work usually owns the copyright privilege.  Contact
the museum after researching its owner.  Each museum has a Rights and
Reproduction Department to field these questions, grant any use, and accept
your payment for the privilege.  Some fees are quite steep.
        Margaret Ford
        Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

-----Original Message-----
From:   mmarts [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Monday, October 26, 1998 12:20 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        basic copyright law

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
     Highly esteemed colleagues:

     At the public service desk, we often get the question: "is
     such-and-such-famous-painting in the public domain?  Can I use it on
     my website and elsewhere?"  I am somewhat at a loss to answer this
     question, except that it is my understanding that generally artwork
     becomes copyright-free 75 years after it was created.  Am I right?  Is
     this an accurate guideline?  Also, can copyrights be renewed after
     this 75-year period, perhaps by the current owner of the work of art?

     Thanks,
     Matthew Tallow
     Art Collection
     Mid-Manhattan Library
     The New York Public Library
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