1.What is the provenance
of this collection?
The provenance for most of the works in this collection is: 1) Alexis Rudier
Foundeur, Paris; 2) Eugene Rudier, Paris; 3) Georges Rudier,
Paris; 4) Private collection (France).
2.What are the
legal rights with respect to recasts from foundry plasters of Auguste
Rodin?
The Master Edition Auguste Rodin bronze casts using Rodin's foundry plasters
is authorized by the laws of the United States, countries of the European
Union, countries of South America, and Asia. More specifically, this work
is lawful under both the copyright, and moral rights statutes that have
been enacted in these countries.
With respect to copyright law, the United States, Europe, South America,
and Asia provide that all copyright in a work expire seventy (70) years
after the death of the author. Since, Rodin died in 1917, all copyright
rights in his works, including the foundry plasters used in this project and the
works previously created with them, terminated in 1987 with exception
of France, which terminated in 1989 for reasons particular to France's
national history.
Moreover, recasting of the Rodin sculptures is supported by the philosophy
underlying the copyright laws. Copyright regimes enable an artist
to control and profit from their work, thereby encouraging artistic endeavor
for the benefit of the artist and the general public.
However, copyright theory also posits that the public's interest eclipses
that of the artist's heirs or assignees over time and that it is
better served by termination of private control over copyrights after the
passage of several generations. That time has expired for Rodin's works
and, therefore, there is no longer any copyright bar against their re-casting.
The few rights that remain to an artist's estate or assignees after transfer
or termination of copyright rights are referred to as moral rights, or
droit moral. These rights are strongest in France but they exist in varying
forms in a number of other countries. They include:
-
control over proper attribution
of a work (droit a la paternite);
-
the right to prevent publication
of the work (droit de divulgation);
-
the right to withdraw the
work from the public and to make modifications to the work (droit de
retrait ou de repentir);
-
and the right to prevent alterations
to the work (droit au respect de l'Oeuvre).
Masters
Edition Rodin casts, however, do not implicate the droit moral for several
reasons. First, they are not lifetime casts, but rather recasts from foundry
plasters. Therefore, the moral rights related to physical control over
the works, such as the rights of withdrawal, alteration and publication,
do not extend to them.
Moreover, the re-casts do not alter the plasters or the image embodied
in the Rodin originals and, therefore, they do not involve the droit au
respect de l'Oeuvre. Finally, all the bronze casts contain acurate attribution,
thus respecting droit a la paternite and avoiding any confusion regarding
the origins of each work.
3.What techniques are
used in our bronze casts?
Master Edition's Rodin casts are cast using the lost wax process (the
process preferred by Auguste Rodin). All casts are under the direction
and supervision of Master Edition's experts and are done in one of
the finest foundries in the world located in Italy. All processes and techniques
replicate in exact detail those used by the artist during his lifetime.
These casts are equal in all details to lifetime casts and are among the
finest casts ever done from this remarkable artist.
All patinas are done using the same chemicals and techniques of the lifetime
works and are identical to lifetime casts.
4.How do I order?
Just contact us filling this form and follow the
instructions there (e.g. if you are looking for more information about
the pieces, or you need, quotations, other specific infos, and so
on. Your message will be processed immediately and you will be contacted
as soon as possible by us.
To order instead the catalog see the Order Form in
the Books section (see in main menu on the left).
RODIN-ART
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