to be annoyed and remove this painting?

[linslime]

friend is an artist (not for money or anything, but she went to art college and enjoys dabbling when she has time around the kids) and for my birthday last month gave me a beautiful painting.

Bro and newish girlfriend were round for dinner recently and she said ‘oh I saw that painting at [art related event] and considered buying it’. I said ‘oh I didn’t buy it, friend painted it for me’ and she looked at me strangely and said oh maybe I’m mistaken etc.

when they left I googled a few key words plus our city and found the REAL artist. Friend has copied the artist’s painting pretty much brushstroke by brushstroke and passed it off as her own. I did consider that maybe she bought the painting from this artist and pretended she’d painted it but on close examination it’s not exactly the same. But a clear copy. She’s signed the corner etc.

i don’t know why I’m so annoyed. I think because I felt like an idiot in front of visitors who knew the original existed yet I insisted ‘no no that’s my friend’s work’. If she’d told me she’d copied it I would still be a bit ‘hmm’ but at least I would know.

AIBU to not want it hanging in my lounge?

Now I think about it - just throwing it out there - she could have thought of painting you this particular place, googled 'paintings of x place' and it came up on the image search as it's a local artist and it does use your location when you search for stuff.

It is normal in non commercial art. This painting was not commercial art as the painter did not sell it or make any money off it,

You are quite right galleries won’t sell copies without the permission of the original artist (unless deceased), and it would note “after T Smith” or whoever. But that’s art done to be sold.

But as a hobbyist artist creating a gift, it is absolutely normal.

that’s probably exactly what happened. i was surprised she didn’t change anything/ add her own style to it

Oh well, I stand corrected re signing and fakery. In which case as you really like it, hang it and say to anyone who shows an interest "Yes, it's a copy of ........ by ........"

That way you are not passing it of as anything other than it is. A copy.

I don't really understand. You like it I assume & it was a gift. Not sure why it's an issue.

YABU

How do you know the 'artist' didn't copy your friend's work?

from where? Friend doesn’t display in galleries, sell her art, post it online. Original artist does all of the above

I think your friend should have been clearer with you and told you it's a copy of an original by XXX artist. By not telling you, she's effectively paasing it off as her own original artwork, which it isn't.

She's also potentially infringing the artist's copyright by making unauthorised copies.

Maybe she has a career as a master forger if she is that good at copying?
Many people have been taken in by fakes and forgeries, some have sold for big money.

I know an artist who lives near me. Visiting someone else new home few paintings looked familiar (style, colour) I commented the home owner said no I painted those myself.
She had done a great job looked very similar. Part of me felt bad she had copied other part of me felt the artist had 'made it' now she was imitated 😂

What??? She did paint it!

Many artists copy other people.

You are being really unreasonable

Unbelievable that anyone thinks there is an issue with this.

It's absolutely, totally normal, common practice for amateur artists who dabble when time permits "AROUND THE KIDS" to copy other's work. They do it to learn or to take a shortcut to achieving something in the limited time they have.

And as for professional artists, go and look on Pinterest- search for any visual art style and look at all the hundreds of very similar pieces that are suggested on any search. That's art for you, it's not that original all the time.

I think you are imagining an artistic integrity that your friend should adhere to when in reality she is just having a hobby that produced something she kindly gave to you. It was a lovely thing to do.

i went to art school and some of my student work was plagiarised by one of the tutors, I saw it hanging in her sisters pub in Camden!

St Martins had a issue with students work going ‘missing’, tutors were the chief suspects.

I agree with OP that this is plagiarism, but as long as OPs friend does not benefit financially, I think this is okay.

She did paint it!

She didn't create it.

She saw a painting of a place you both had memories from and painted it for you.
I think thats a really lovely thing to do

This

She sounds like a lovely friend

Oh, it's quite obvious that she wanted you to think it was her own original concept, op. I'd feel the same way you do.

My artist friend painted me a painting of a Siamese cat.
It is the worst rendering of a Siamese cat I’ve ever seen.
My friend painted it out of love, and I have it hanging prominently in my home, because I love her. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

I want to see the paintings now! Both the OP one and the cat!

This would be such a twatty thing to do.

But she did paint it

My friend’s father was an artist. He both copied and painted original paintings. I paint and also copy other people’s work. It is a hobby. Your friends made you something beautiful that she thought you would like that took her time and skill and thoughtfulness. Enjoy it.

Chances are the person whose work she's copied has painted the scene from a photograph, which is another form of copying really, as few artists seem to work en plein air these days.

I see your point, OP, and I wouldn't like it either. Amateur artists copy photos and postcards of scenes, which is kinda cheating, but copying an original artwork in the same medium is different - part of the art is in deciding what to paint and how to put it on the picture.

I'd tell her I loved it so much I decided to hang it in my bedroom. On the wall at the head of the bed, so I can't see it when I'm in bed!