You can't automatically assume that copyright for all of any artist's
work is owned by the artist's estate.  Often an artist will transfer all or
part of his her rights to some/all of his/her works.  Research into who
owns copyright to what may be the best approach.  You're correct to assume
that the owner of the physical work is not necessarily (or even usually)
the owner of the copyright(s) to that work.

Robin Lipp
Collections Manager
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

On Fri, 20 Oct 1995, Bonni-Dara Michaels wrote:

> When a contemporary artist dies, does the estate own the right to
> publish photographs of that artist's works at will, regardless of present owne
r,
>  and for how long?
>