Copyright and Image Licensing

Copyright

In some cases, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts owns only the physical object and does not assume copyright ownership. The Museum’s reproduction and/or high-resolution access charges do not include fees owed to the rights-holder(s). The Museum will inform the researcher if it does not own the copyright to an object and will assist to the best of its ability to provide contact information for the rights-holder(s). However, clearing copyright and any other rights that may be vested in an image is entirely the responsibility of the end-user.

Unless otherwise indicated, the content of the site is © 2020 Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. All rights reserved. Certain images used on the site are made available in small size and/or in low resolution due to restrictions imposed by Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts licensors or otherwise in deference to certain third-party intellectual property rights.

Image Licensing

The Museum manages rights and reproductions as well as provides specialized image resources used in reproducing works of art from the collection. Image reproductions may be licensed for scholarly, commercial, or personal/study uses.  All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In order to process a request, we need to determine what kind(s) of photograph(s), reproduction rights, and possible fees are involved. Provide as much detail as possible at the form located under Resources to the right.

For questions or further clarification, contact the Collections Information Specialist at curatorial@mmfa.org.

Copyright and Reproductions Requirements

Images from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts permanent collection must be reproduced in their entirety without cropping or bleeding, stapled, or in the gutter, unless prior written permission to adapt the image is obtained. Nothing may be superimposed on the reproduction. The applicant must submit, and the Museum must approve, any crop or bleed, staple or gutter, of an image by reviewing a PDF of the proposed design in advance of publication. Please allow a minimum of seven (7) days for this approval process.

• The copyright and credit line provided in the final contract must be included in its entirety with each reproduction. Failure to follow the above specifications and/or include the copyright credit line in its entirety will result in a penalty of 50% of the base fee.

• Images of Museum objects must not be used to assert or imply the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts endorses any commercial products or enterprise, concurs with the opinions expressed in, or confirms the accuracy of any text used with these images.

• Images of works from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts’ collection may not be reproduced without the express and written permission of the institution and that of the copyright holder, when applicable. Please note that the Museum may not be the copyright holder for all images; the requester is responsible for obtaining the appropriate copyright permissions. Copying or redistributing images in any form for personal or corporate gain is prohibited.

• The Museum requires one gratis copy of each publication that includes MMFA images.

• The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts reserves the right to limit the number of copies; to refuse permission for inappropriate use; and to charge fees different from those presented on this site.

• Upon receipt and approval of application, a contract/invoice with payment information will be sent to you for your signature. This form does not serve as permissions for the requested image(s). Please return it with payment. Prepayment is required. Once payment is received, image(s) will then be sent to you with the countersigned contract to the email provided. Please allow up to four weeks after payment for delivery of images. Large and complex orders for which new photography is required may take longer.

Fees and Use

• Fees are for one-time, non-exclusive use; one language; single-edition, North American rights unless otherwise stated. Further language rights, revised editions, and additional media will incur separate permission-to-publish fees.

• Non-profit organizations, students, and scholars publishing original research may apply for reduced use fees up to 50%. Electronic image file delivery fees are waived for scholarly requests.

• Preparation Fees may still apply if new photography or scan is required to be able to provide a publication-quality image.

• The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts accepts payments by check, money order, EFT, or credit card. The processing fee for payments by credit card is 4% of the total cost. For bank payments, there is an addition fee of $15 for domestic and $30 for international.

• For questions regarding pricing and use fees, please contact the Collections Information Specialist at curatorial@mmfa.org.

• The fee schedule is subject to change without notice.

Types of Use

Scholarly Use

Includes (but is not limited to) books, exhibition catalogues, and similar works published by libraries, museums, and non-profit organizations; educational television broadcasts; and other items made available to a relatively limited, specialized audience. It is understood by the Museum that scholarly use implies the use is intended in the greatest part for educational purposes.

Commercial Use

Includes (but is not limited to) for-profit publications; textbooks, trade books, reference books, supplemental course readers, and curriculum materials for K-12; motion pictures, commercial television, and video productions; large-circulation or mass-market magazines; calendars, posters, museum reproductions, postcards, and note cards; other items made available to a relatively wide audience.

Personal/Study Use

Includes (but is not limited to) personal, educational, or research purposes only and may not be published or reproduced.

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