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?

maybe yes but it’s not a straight photo scene if that makes sense, there are things added to it that wouldn’t be there, in proportions that don’t exist etc

I don’t understand this. Did you hope the painting would be valuable or something?

Why on earth does it matter that your friend didn’t come up with the original concept of the painting herself? She took the time to create something beautiful that she thought you’d like - and you did!

Do you insist on being sung some original composition, rather than ‘Happy Birthday To You’ when it’s your birthday? Or is it enough that loved ones are singing for you?

YABU. You said it was practically identical … that takes a lot of time and skill.

I once copied a Bob Ross painting and gave it to my mum for Christmas. She loved it, knew I’d painted it but also knew it was copied off someone else’s work.

I am sorry but you sound like a nightmare and very ungrateful. Why on earth would you destroy something you loved. Have a word with yourself.

She should have told you that she had copied it. It's fine to copy other artists as a learning exercise, but one then declares it. The term is 'after', eg: "This painting is after Van Gogh". Unless you make about 3 significant changes, then its called, 'influenced by'. She should have told you, because then you were embarrassed by a visitor, not ok.

I wouldn't be thinking so deeply about it .
It's a nice painting done by your friend . It took a lot of time and effort to produce . Time and effort she obviously thinks you are worth .
Hang it in your wall and enjoy it .

She might have been embarrassed to say it was a copy/ inspired by another artist's work if she thought you would have an issue with that. I think the suggestion by PP is perfect, its a copy my friend X made of Y's original art world, because we have Z connection to that place.
It does take time to make a good copy. I've made copies of artworks for family members before, if I know they'd love so and so's style. It is quite normal both for amateur artists to make copies and as something that happens in the art world in maybe a more shadowy or postmodern way.

I didn't know it was normal for artists to copy other people's work and pass it off as their own either

Hi - speaking as someone who works professionally in the art world, there is zero issue with this. I think, OP, you’re just embarrassed that you didn’t immediately recognise it was a copy.

for my mother’s birthday maybe ten years ago I painted her a copy of a Monet, which still hangs in her kitchen. It’s an homage. I learnt by painting it. Copying paintings is a big part of learning the skill - like practicing someone else’s music on the piano before composing your own.

you sound incredibly ungrateful and don’t deserve the piece frankly.

If the original is on display locally I doubt she is pretending she is the artist - if it’s so good your friend thought it was the original your painter friend must be a good artist.

I bought a print recently from a friend of his work. Didn't know he had copied someone else's style. Thought it original and loved it. My art loving friend said - 'oh just like X's work'. It also took a little of the shine off.....but......I still love the print. It still looks great. He never said anything because if you know it's obvious. (Probably didn't realise some of us aren't quite as educated on art works). Anyway, if you love the painting enjoy it for what it is. Now you know a bit more about the heritage too. (I couldn't have afforded an original by my friend.....let alone by the original artist.)

Smelly toilet, I was just thinking how many paintings a la Bob Ross there must be around the world!

Has no-one ever seen art students copying paintings in galleries? They sit for hours with sketch books copying techniques - I bet a fair few of those end up on their Mum's sitting room walls.

I think your friend did a lovely thing. She (perhaps, you don't know) saw a painting of a place that means something to you and thought she'd spend hours painting similar for you and instead of being grateful and pleased that your friend is so thoughtful you appear to me more concerned that your brother's girlfriend thinks you don't know much about art.

How is it cheating? If she'd said "this is an original by me" then yes she would be passing it off as her own, but she hadn't actually said that. She probably assumed you knew it was a copy of a well-known artist so didn't think to say anything.
If someone had taken the time to paint me a picture I'd be thrilled - even if I didn't like it, the time, thought and effort would be more than enough.

And tbh art is like music - there's only so many songs that can be written without starting to sound like another song.

This is very true. In art college you are expected to or assigned paintings to copy and learn from.

A friend of mine did an amazing job painting the Mona Lisa and I was very impressed. They showed a great deal of skill and put a lot of time into it.

Is it possible that your friend assumed that you knew of this practice?

Or maybe she assumed that you would still like it, appreciate her effort and skill (It’s not like it’s a tracing or a photocopy or a paint by number). It actually does require skill to re create another artist’s painting.

Maybe she did think you would appreciate that it is a painting of a meaningful place and that it wouldn’t bother you that it’s copied off this other artist’s painting.

She actually painted it. It’s not like she bought the original and painted over the original artist’s name so she could sign her own name on it.

And you need more going on in your life.

God this is horrible, she knew you’d love it, so she recreated it for you and it would have taken her forever, and your behaving like this? How incredibly horrible of you.

This, you felt silly in front of your friends.
Perhaps your artist friend thought you'd know the original picture. I would enjoy the picture and be pleased I have something lovely on my wall

Is it not possible that she worked from a photo and the other artist worked from the same photo? I got an original painting done for my sister a while back, I sent the artist a photo of what I wanted (bluebell woods) and quite some time after I saw a painting of exactly the same thing, I thought 'that's the painting I got my sister!!' But it was actually just a painting by someone else who obviously worked from the same photo

Who really cares! It's the thought that counts!

It’s still her own work, whether a copy or not.
Artists have been copying each other’s work for centuries. She signed her own name - it’s not as if she was pretending it was by the original artist.

I agree, she could have said it was a copy of X by Y though.

You sound like a snobby twat to be honest. Your friend made you a lovely gift and you are getting all precious about it now. Either give it back to your friend or hang it in pride of place like it was before.

For goodness sake - what a massive drama over nothing op. 🙄

If she had asked you to pay for it when you didn't know ,that would be a different story but it was a gift.

As a painter myself I would be seriously annoyed if someone just pretty much copied my work and then gave to someone else to display. At least she is not selling it because then the original artist would have a claim for plagiarism.

I think it is fine when you are learning to paint to copy historical paintings for example to understand the techniques but to just rip off a contemporary piece and to give it to someone to display without letting them know it is almost an identical copy of somebody else's work is a bit dodgy.

I would not display a painting like that I my home sorry. She meant well but you are also right to be annoyed.