Dear Museum-L members,

 

I write to ask about a complicated issue related to rights and reproductions. In 1998 a painting from our collection went missing while on route to a framing shop. It has not yet been recovered. The circumstances of its disappearance are complicated but my questions relates to images of that painting. 

 

Our museum has received requests from researchers for rights to reproduce the painting in publications. After consulting with our Image Librarian we discovered the painting is technically now in the public domain, as it was shown publicly prior to 1923. We hold the high quality image file however, so we can request specific credit lines in the publications, should we grant permission to use the image file.

 

The question is how we would like to approach reproduction requests and the credit line in particular. It is our feeling that granting permission to reproduce the painting in scholarly publications and educational materials is the right thing to do as keeping the painting's image hidden does nothing to advance art historical knowledge. We would like to adopt a credit line for the image that acknowledges its status as missing, for example: Missing from the collection since September 1998. Including this credit line in publications will spread the word among scholars, museums, and other art institutions that the painting is missing and potentially help in its recovery. 

Have you ever had a situation like this at an institution you work at? How have you handled the problem?  If there are others I should consult about this matter, please let me know. I will look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please feel free to email off the list.

 

Many thanks, 

Leslie Walfish

Gallery and Collections Manager

Wriston Art Galleries

Lawrence University