uthor
of any artistic work or photograph for a period of life and thirty
years, unless the work be commissioned, in which case the copyright
was to be the property of the employer, except in the case of
sculpture intended to be placed in a street or public place. The bill
provided summary remedies for dealing with pirated works. It omitted
altogether any reference to registration, and it provided for
international copyright.

22. To sum up the position of artistic copyright in 1909, we find five
British acts, three dealing with engraving, one with sculpture, and one
with painting, drawing and photography, and between them very little
relation. We have three terms of duration of copyright--28 years for
engraving, 14 for sculpture, with a second 14 if the artist be alive at
the end of the first, life and 7 years for painting, drawing or
photography. There are two different relations of the artist to his
copyright. The sculptor's right to sell his work and retain his
copyright has never been questioned so long as he signs and dates it.
The painter's copyright is made to depend upon the signing of a document
by the purchaser of his work. The engraver and the sculptor are not
required to register; but the author's name, and the date of putting
forth or publishing, must appear on his work. The painter cannot protect
his copyright without registration, but this registration as it is now
required is merely a pitfall for the unwary. Designed to give the public
information as to the ownership and duration of copyrights, the
uncertainty of its operation results in the prevention of information on
these very points.

The Berlin Convention of 1908 led to the appointment of a British
committee to deal with its recommendations, and their report in 1909
foreshadowed important changes in the law both of literary and of
artistic copyright, whenever Parliament should give its attention
seriously to the subject.

Practical difficulties.

Difficult and complicated as is the whole subject of artistic copyright,
it is perhaps not to be wondered at that ignorance of the law on the
subject is very widespread, even amongst those who are most interested
in its action. One of the commonest beliefs amongst artists is, that all
they have to do to secure copyright is to register a picture at
Stationers' Hall; but the authorities at Stationers' Hall ask no
questions, and simply enter any particulars submitted to them on their
p