Photo service & Copyright

In Danish law Danmarks Kunstbibliotek owns and maintains the copyright on all reproductions of materials in its collections.

By “materials” the following are meant:

unica, such as drawings and paintings
graphic or photographic representations, of human, buildings, interiors or works of art.

Copyright and other rights holders

The reproduction of a photograph of a work of art in a public or private collection does not in general demand separate permission from a third party (e.g. the museum, which owns the reproduced original) – when it is simply, expressly, and in accordance with the guidelines laid down below stated, that it is the graphic or photographic presentation in the collections of Danmarks Kunstbibliotek which is reproduced. In cases where, under the 70 year copyright rule there are artists who also have rights to materials in the Library’s collections, the permission for reproduction presupposes that the person who applies obtains supplementary written permission for reproduction from the copyright holder or their heirs. Such permission can typically be obtained by applying to Copydan.

Ordering scannings and photographs

It is possible to order photographs of all materials (books, drawings, prints, photographs, glass plates and the like.) in the collections of Danmarks Kunstbibliotek. Requests for such reproductions should be addressed directly to Danmarks Kunstbibliotek, by filling out and signing the order form below.

Price list for photographic reproduction Click here
Order form Click here
On application permission can also be obtained for one’s own scanning or photographs of materials in the collections of Danmarks Kunstbibliotek. Click here

There is one precondition for reproduction in the context of a publication:

That permission is sought for the photographing of material in Danmarks Kunstbibliotek. Click here.
That it is expressly stated that the material belongs to Danmarks Kunstbibliotek (in foreign language publications the Danish National Art Library)
That on publication Danmarks Kunstbibliotek receives two free copies.