> Among other things, Sebastian H. saw fit to write:
>
> >>>The important thing is to find if Escher's work is still under
> >>>copyright, or if it has passed into the public domain.
> >>
> I guess the exact copyright term depends on the country and on the date of
> creation. From Wikipedia:
>
> "The expiration time differs from country to country, but according to the
> Berne Convention the minimum time is the lifetime of the author plus 50
> years. In the Netherlands the term is 70 years after the death of the
> author."

According to http://www.mcescher.com/ the copyright to all of his images is
owned by the M.C.Escher Company B.V... the site appears to be quite helpful
if you want permission to reproduce his work, but I can't find anything
about derivative work. I guess the easiest way to find out is simply to ask
them...

Bill

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>So, I'd say We'll have to wait some 35 years more to be sure Escher's works
>are public domain...

Note that in visual arts there is also moral right, and it is perpetual as
well as inalienable in EU. It may be transmitted mortis causa to the heirs
of the author. (i.g Arts Foundations etc)
http://www.studiolo.org/CIP/VARA/Failing/Failing.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_rights

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Rene Bui wrote:
>>So, I'd say We'll have to wait some 35 years more to be sure Escher's works
>>are public domain...
> 
> 
> Note that in visual arts there is also moral right, and it is perpetual as
> well as inalienable in EU. It may be transmitted mortis causa to the heirs
> of the author. (i.g Arts Foundations etc)
> http://www.studiolo.org/CIP/VARA/Failing/Failing.htm
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_rights
> 

Good point.

There was a great example of this in Canada concerning a sculpture by 
Michael Snow.  The sculpture depicts a flight of geese in the process of 
landing.  It is comprised of many realistic fiberglass models of geese ( 
surfaced with tromp l'oeil photographs of feathers ) suspended from the 
glassed barrel dome of a shopping mall called the Eaton Center in 
downtown Toronto.  The mall is/was? owned by Eaton's who are like the 
Macy's of Canada.  For Chrismas one year the Center's decorations 
included ribbons tied on the necks of the geese.  Snow sued to have them 
removed and won.

The incident is recounted briefly here:

http://advertisinglawyer.wld.com/news-mag-1999-04.htm

The quote mentioned here talked about "dangling earrings from the Venus 
de Milo"  but as I recall a more popular version involved the notion of 
"dangling a bell from Eaton's nose" (there is also a stature of the 
department store chain's founder in the Center)

Either way Snow's victory caused quite a stir among nominally liberal 
but somewhat provincial Canadians.  Eaton was, after all, a great man of 
commerce.  Who was some artist to challenge the great man's ego?

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