Over the last couple of years i've been lucky enough to have gained a few private commissions for portrait work - mostly horses .... it seems horse owners can't get enough pictures of their four legged friends!! Recently, one of my images formed part of an exhibition at a local arts festival and I was then approached by a lady who saw it and happened to be the former owner of the subject of the image - an equine portrait - asking if she could purchase a copy, as she had never got a "decent" (her word) picture of it while she owned it.
The image was commissioned by the current owner, who bought a canvas print of it.
Do I sell on a copy of the work to the other party if the image was produced as a private commission from the current owner? I retain the copyright.
What would you do? Sell a further copy, or politely point out to the third party that the commissioner of the work has a reasonable expectation of exclusivity and turn down the sale. The sums involved are not huge - I'm just interested in others' take on this issue.
The image was commissioned by the current owner, who bought a canvas print of it.
Do I sell on a copy of the work to the other party if the image was produced as a private commission from the current owner? I retain the copyright.
What would you do? Sell a further copy, or politely point out to the third party that the commissioner of the work has a reasonable expectation of exclusivity and turn down the sale. The sums involved are not huge - I'm just interested in others' take on this issue.