Recently I have been in shows in which a goodly number of an artist’s inventory relies on copies. There are 2 reasons for this. One is to maximize the amount one can gain from a given image. The other is to make available an image with which many want to live.
There is much confusion and discussion regarding reproductions, prints, and copies. In the art world, the designation of ‘print’ is reserved for artistic multiples in other words, while creating a similar image, each is distinctly produced, resulting in a unique piece. The artist produces each of these. It is these works that are numbered.
A reproduction is a copy of a picture, is an attempt to recreate the original image as closely as possible. Giclees and printer-produced images fall under this category.
Each artist must determine whether s/he will make copies of work and for what reasons.
My only suggestion to customers is to remember when you purchase a copy, you are acquiring the story but the language the artist originally used to tell that story. A copy, no matter how sophisticated, never has the brush strokes of the artist. Never jade your eye to the depth language brings to a piece.
Sail in Gray