The Log Cabin gets a face lift

[Jezza]

After many years Mrs Jezza and I are refurbishing our Log Cabin in deepest, darkest Kent. The planning has been somewhat haphazard as we both have different visions of what the place should look like but one thing we do agree on is the use of pictures that we want to decorate our living room with.

We are both lovers of prints and sketches, I liking Victorian sketches but now Mrs Jezza has re-introduced me to the Georgian sketches by William Hogarth, one being the famous Gin Lane shown below where we would love to have a couple scattered among others on the wall. The questions is that I can go to a shop and buy a copy of this image for £X.00 or I can go to the interweb thingy, copy the image and print it myself....who indeed holds the copyright of sucha picture?

1) The owner to the rights of the print who sold me it in the shop
2) The web site
3) or because it is over a certain age is anyone's

The chances are I will probably buy a print and frame it but it is one of "those" questions.

[viking33]

My God, Jerry. Would you really hang one of those on your wall?

[Jezza]

Mrs Jezza is very persuasive Bob...very persuasive

[Jezza]

....it is also to be hung to distract the viewer from the many animal heads and Disney cartoon character prints.....afterall we Brits do have some taste.

[PaulB]

Seeing that the print was produced in 1751 (or is that 1731), I think you can safely assume that it is in the public domain. I do believe that copyright in most Commonwealth countries is limited to the life of the author plus 75 years. Even in the USA where they keep extending copyright protection to maintain Disney's monopoly on Mickey Mouse, protection is limited to Disney's life plus 90 years.

[BigKev]

....it is also to be hung to distract the viewer from the many animal heads and Disney cartoon character prints.....afterall we Brits do have some taste.

Not to mention the picture of the dogs playing pool.

[Leif]

...who indeed holds the copyright of sucha picture?

Interesting that you should ask such a question: Engraving Copyright Act 1734 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - sometimes known as Hogarth's Act...

[ChrisGreaves]

The questions is that I can go to a shop and buy a copy of this image for £X.00 or I can go to the interweb thingy, copy the image and print it myself....who indeed holds the copyright of sucha picture?

Notwithstanding the various interpretations of the various copyright acts in the various legislative levels of the various countries, your decision might be influenced more by aesthetics than legalities.
Pour me another glass of whine and I'll explain.

Thank You.

The print(s) is to hold pride of place in your dining-room, right?
As such you want it to be of the highest quality.
Further it represents an insignificant proportion of your renovation costs.

It makes sense to pay extra $$$ and have a custom printing/framing shop use their valuable expertise to deliver to you a properly executed reproduction of high quality; it ought to be of a higher quality than any amateur could effect.

Back in 1971 (?) My then wife and I pasted copies of The Australian's winning entries in their advertising competition on our white-washed dining room walls, but then the house was v. rustic and pasted papers seemed to be the decor, also all the rage amongst the young marrieds discovering that you could bake your own bread at home.

Friday I entrusted the printing and frame-selection of a set of photos to a graphic-artist buddy (it cost me a breakfast), because they are a present for a very good friend, and my buddy has more sense than I about beveled edges to mats⁽¹⁾, etc. etc. etc.

Spend the dough and get it done right.


Re the legalities, there has to be, buried in the bowels of Kent, a branch of the BCS whose forums would happily answer your questions about copyright, and who would be well-informed on Hogarth, I would think.


⁽¹⁾ Yes, mats really do matter!

[viking33]

(1)[/sup] Yes, mats really do matter!

That's right. Particularly when wrestling. Much better than bare floor!

[johbot]

winning entries in their advertising competition on our white-washed dining room walls

Ah! that was your error. Those pages would have yellowed with age. We have used pages from the 1980's Airmail Guardian that was on the bleached rice paper. They have not discoloured and still provide fascinating reading.

[steveh]

After many years Mrs Jezza and I are refurbishing our Log Cabin in deepest, darkest Kent. The planning has been somewhat haphazard as we both have different visions of what the place should look like but one thing we do agree on is the use of pictures that we want to decorate our living room with.

We are both lovers of prints and sketches, I liking Victorian sketches but now Mrs Jezza has re-introduced me to the Georgian sketches by William Hogarth, one being the famous Gin Lane shown below where we would love to have a couple scattered among others on the wall. The questions is that I can go to a shop and buy a copy of this image for £X.00 or I can go to the interweb thingy, copy the image and print it myself....who indeed holds the copyright of sucha picture?

1) The owner to the rights of the print who sold me it in the shop
2) The web site
3) or because it is over a certain age is anyone's

The chances are I will probably buy a print and frame it but it is one of "those" questions.

We have a set of the Rakes Progress in print form in our dining room and they are a great talking point when we entertain

http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibiti ... gress.shtm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The story of rags to riches to rags, loyalty etc. gets everybody going.

I can recommend this site for prints http://www.worldgallery.co.uk/scripts/s ... ry=hogarth" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Leif]

We have a set of the Rakes Progress in print form in our dining room and they are a great talking point when we entertain

In late autumn, with the trees bare and their leaves covering the lawn, I and my guests spend many happy hours watching the wife and the rake's progress as she gathers them into tidy piles.

[HansV]

[steveh]

We have a set of the Rakes Progress in print form in our dining room and they are a great talking point when we entertain

In late autumn, with the trees bare and their leaves covering the lawn, I and my guests spend many happy hours watching the wife and the rake's progress as she gathers them into tidy piles.

Brave when there's distance between you and the missus then Leif

[Leif]

I'm sure she'll get her revenge...

[Doc Watson]

Leif's link offers a link to the Imperial Copyright Act of 1911 which seems to have the final say on this issue from a legal perspective.

From a strictly moral perspective, let your conscience be your guide.