Copying a painting completed in 1927
 

I have been asked to copy a portrait painting that was completed in 1927 as a commission. The artist died in 1929. Is there a problem if I painted a different size from the original and gave reference to the original artist by my name?

Thank you,

Jane

Jane,

As long as you give credit to the artist that you are copying - for example, "Jane Polkowski after Artist" - there is really no problem. This is a long-established tradition. As far as I know, you don't even have to alter the original size. If the artist was alive, it would be a courtesy to seek permission, but in this case....

Out of curiosity, who is the artist you are copying? And can you post the work that you are copying?

David

Dear David,

Thank you very much for the information you provided! I decided not to do this one. The artist is Robert Henri and the photo of the painting (reportedly in private collection) is not a good one. I copied a different Henri painting a few years ago just for practice for myself, however, it