Reproduction of Art and Cultural Heritage.
The arrival in my email in box of the following post on Enfilade has prompted me to put down a few random thoughts about the subject.
The arrival in my email in box of the following post on Enfilade has prompted me to put down a few random thoughts about the subject.
https://enfilade18thc.com/2017/12/31/reproduction-of-art-and-cultural-heritage/#comments
https://enfilade18thc.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/reachdeclaration.pdf
This is a subject close to my heart. The purpose of my blogs is to disseminate information, both written and visual about (mostly) English Portrait Sculpture and I want this information to be freely available to anyone who might be interested in the subject. In the main I have only encountered encouragement and enthusiasm from both private and institutional owners.
It seems to me that there are still a few people within the museum world who see their holdings as their personal property - forgetting who paid for the objects and the reason for their existence in the first place.
If the purpose of Museums (which I believe) is to educate and enlighten, then it surely follows that images of their holdings should be freely available, (particularly where information on exhibits is limited and I find this is a real problem with many institutions) to those like myself who wish to add to the knowledge of the subject and to inspire others to research further.
Very occasionally I have encountered brick walls when I have requested information or photographs.
No thanks are currently due to the Huntington Collection, who some time ago when I asked for photographs and information on their English portrait busts were unable to supply any - despite several requests.
I will try again! I have stated that I do not require professional studio photographs - those taken with a smart phone can serve my purpose - I prefer more candid photographs which give a much better indication of the sculptors original intentions.
I will try again! I have stated that I do not require professional studio photographs - those taken with a smart phone can serve my purpose - I prefer more candid photographs which give a much better indication of the sculptors original intentions.
The National Gallery of Victoria, Australia have a single beautiful photograph of the Rysbrack terracotta bust of Rubens on their website but were unwilling to provide any further good images for me, fortunately a member of staff did take some further digital photographs of it and sent them to me with strict instructions that they couldn't be published!
Despite paying the entrance fee at Westminster Abbey I was told in no uncertain terms that I could not take any photographs of the monuments and was referred to their library where (very poor) photographs are available for a large price.
These days most museums and galleries have very enlightened views regarding photography of their holdings but one or two still feel that they can monetise their collections.
The Rijksmuseum is particularly good in this respect and one can only hope that others will follow their lead.
It is not currently my intention to publish, in print any of the work on my blogs, although I have not ruled this out for the future.
Should I attempt this in the near future the current cost of obtaining permissions from institutions such as Tate Britain would probably make any such project uneconomical.
Other works on my chosen subject have been severely hampered by the authors inability to locate and provide good photographs of their subject, The Marble Index by Malcolm Baker, published by Yale in 2014, Published price £50 - now available on Amazon for about £40, comes to mind, where the majority of the photographs are old black and white library photographs.
The estimable Bendor Grosvenor has covered this subject at some length on his blog Art History News - see these recent blog entries-
https://www.arthistorynews.com/articles/4953_Museum_image_fees__how_to_avoid_paying_them
https://www.arthistorynews.com/articles/4950_Museum_image_fees__a_call_to_arms_ctd
https://www.arthistorynews.com/articles/4926_Image_fees__are_museums_guilty_of_misselling
see also
http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums-right-to-charge-image-fees-is-called-into-question
In my blogs have tried to credit all the information and photographs used and any omission is due to working in haste.
Certain websites do not allow one to "right click" in order to save an image - but this is easily overcome using control print screen - I currently use a piece of Software called Faststone Capture not free but very easy and quick to use - see their website -
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm
This can be particularly useful for saving pages from online journals where there is limited availability - jstor comes to mind
Whilst I am on the subject - it seems to me that print, either in book or journal form is an antediluvian method of providing information and it still surprises me that many authors see it as the sole means of delivering their product.
Blogging is very simple - it allows one to publish for very little or no cost and is most importantly interactive. It also allows for comments or criticisms to be made and for the reader to engage with the author.
Whilst I will never stop buying books I believe that it is about time that publishing caught up with modern digital technology - in my case it is simplicity itself for me in my blog to provide many images of a three dimensional object, to provide a descriptive text and to link it to Museums, Libraries and other websites in order to provide maximum information at minimum cost.
Most of the modern non fiction books in my personal library have cost between £40 and £100 - putting them out of reach of most interested individuals. The inclusion of a CD with further information is always a bonus but it is still used infrequently.
I hope that my readers here will forgive my amateurism. and look forward to any responses.
This blog acts as a sort of test bed, aide memoire and online filing system although it seems to have taken on something of a life of its own - interested parities might like to take a look at my other blogs
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.co.uk/
https://wheelergateceiling.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/introduction-wheelergate-ceiling.html
_________________________________________
Portrait of an Anonymous Sitter leaning against a Pedestal with a bust.
c. 1660 - 65.
Sir Peter Lely (1618 - 1680)
Oil on Canvas.
1245 x 1010 mm.
Hatchlands Park, Surrey.
National Trust.
Image Courtesy National Trust.
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1166160
https://www.arthistorynews.com/articles/4926_Image_fees__are_museums_guilty_of_misselling
see also
http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums-right-to-charge-image-fees-is-called-into-question
In my blogs have tried to credit all the information and photographs used and any omission is due to working in haste.
Certain websites do not allow one to "right click" in order to save an image - but this is easily overcome using control print screen - I currently use a piece of Software called Faststone Capture not free but very easy and quick to use - see their website -
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm
This can be particularly useful for saving pages from online journals where there is limited availability - jstor comes to mind
Whilst I am on the subject - it seems to me that print, either in book or journal form is an antediluvian method of providing information and it still surprises me that many authors see it as the sole means of delivering their product.
Blogging is very simple - it allows one to publish for very little or no cost and is most importantly interactive. It also allows for comments or criticisms to be made and for the reader to engage with the author.
Whilst I will never stop buying books I believe that it is about time that publishing caught up with modern digital technology - in my case it is simplicity itself for me in my blog to provide many images of a three dimensional object, to provide a descriptive text and to link it to Museums, Libraries and other websites in order to provide maximum information at minimum cost.
Most of the modern non fiction books in my personal library have cost between £40 and £100 - putting them out of reach of most interested individuals. The inclusion of a CD with further information is always a bonus but it is still used infrequently.
I hope that my readers here will forgive my amateurism. and look forward to any responses.
This blog acts as a sort of test bed, aide memoire and online filing system although it seems to have taken on something of a life of its own - interested parities might like to take a look at my other blogs
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.co.uk/
https://wheelergateceiling.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/introduction-wheelergate-ceiling.html
_________________________________________
Portrait of an Anonymous Sitter leaning against a Pedestal with a bust.
c. 1660 - 65.
Sir Peter Lely (1618 - 1680)
Oil on Canvas.
1245 x 1010 mm.
Hatchlands Park, Surrey.
National Trust.
Image Courtesy National Trust.
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1166160
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