Fine Arts - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition fine-arts

Definition :

Fine arts. As to copyright in works of art, see the Copyright Act, 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5, c. 46). 'Artistic work' is defined by the Act as including 'works of painting, drawing, sculpture and artistic craftsmanship, and architectural works of art and engravings and photographs (s. 35). 'Work of sculpture' includes casts and models (ib.). 'Architectural work of art' is defined by the Act as 'any building or structure having an artistic character or design in respect of such character or design, or any model for such building or structure, provided that the protection afforded by the Act shall be confined to the artistic character and design and shall not extend to processes or methods of construction'; 'engravings' include 'etchings, lithographs, wood-cuts, prints, and other similar works, not being photographs'; and 'photograph' includes photolithograph and any work produced by any process analogous to photography (ib.). As to what acts amount to an infringement of copyright, see s. 2 of the Act; and as to the ownership of the copyright incases where the work has been executed to order, or the author was in the service of some other fir, see s. 5. As to cinematograph films, see Barstow v. Terry , (1924) 2 Ch 316; Nordisk Films Co. v. Onda, 1922 (Macq., 'Copyright Cases,' 1917-1923, p. 337). The Act of 1911 repeals twenty former statutes either wholly or partially, but s.s 7 and 8 of the Fine Arts Copyright Act, 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. 68), under which penalties are recoverable for infringements, are unrepealed.