The case involved images Warhol created of Prince as part of a 1984 commission for Vanity Fair.
Warhol used one of Lynn Goldsmith's photos of Prince as a starting point, a so-called artist reference, and Vanity Fair paid Goldsmith to licence the photo.Vanity Fair chose one of the resulting images — Prince with a purple face — to run in the magazine. Following Prince's death in 2016 Vanity Fair ran a different image from the series on its cover — Prince with an orange face.Andy Warhol's orange silkscreen portrait of Prince superimposed on Lynn Goldsmith's photograph.
Lawyers for Warhol's foundation had argued that the artist had transformed the photograph and there was no violation of copyright law when the orange-faced Prince was reproduced in the magazine. But a majority of the justices said a lower court had correctly sided with Goldsmith in this instance."Lynn Goldsmith's original works, like those of other photographers, are entitled to copyright protection, even against famous artists," Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the opinion for the court.
Chief Justice Sotomayor said the court was expressing no opinion "as to the creation, display, or sale of any of the original" Warhol works and whether they'd be seen as copyright infringement.In a dissent, Justice Elena Kagan warned that the decision would "stifle creativity of every sort" and suggested the majority needed to "go back to school" for an Art History 101 refresher course.She was joined in her dissent by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Chief Justice Kagan wrote that the majority's decision would "impede new art and music and literature" and "thwart the expression of new ideas and the attainment of new knowledge".Chief Justice Kagan said the visual arts have a tradition of imitation and copying.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Witness account that convicted man to life in prison questioned after nearly 40 yearsLawyers for Derek Bromley, who was found guilty of a 1984 murder in Adelaide that he has always said he didn’t commit, have questioned the original evidence in the High Court.
Read more »
Meghan Markle glitters in gold at NYC award show with Prince HarryThe Duchess of Sussex looked excited to accept an award in NYC, stopping to pose with husband Prince Harry and proud mother Doria.
Read more »
Prince Harry and Meghan in 'near catastrophic' car chase while being followed by paparazziThe couple's office says the pair and Meghan's mother were followed for more than two hours by half a dozen vehicles after leaving a charity event in New York on Tuesday.
Read more »
Prince Harry and Meghan in 'near catastrophic' paparazzi car chase, spokesperson saysPrince Harry and wife Meghan are said to be 'upset and shaken' after being involved in a two-hour paparazzi car chase. The incident a terrible reminder of what happened to Princess Diana in that Paris tunnel 26 years ago. LaurenTomasi 9News MORE:
Read more »
Why Prince Harry's paparazzi feud is personalAfter a lifetime of camera flashes and intimate front-page spreads, this is the story of how Prince Harry became an enemy of the tabloid media.
Read more »