NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART Revised 01/2011 RULES GOVERNING THE COPYING OF WORKS OF ART Copying works of art at the National Gallery of Art is a privilege which may be granted to a qualified individual at the discretion of the Gallery. Copyists must exercise this privilege, if granted, in accordance with the primary mission of the Gallery to serve its visitors by educating them and providing them with a positive experience in viewing the works of art on display. Any individual wishing to copy works of art at the National Gallery of Art must qualify as a copyist in accordance with the following guidelines. There are no exceptions. Application Procedures An individual applying to copy a work of art in oil or other liquid medium for the first time must present the following items to the Registrar's Office: 1. Personal Statement describing your interest in the National Gallery of Art Copyist Program. Outline past artistic training and how it relates to works in the collection. Specify areas of interest and what you wish to accomplish through the program. The statement should be no more than two pages in length, single-spaced, and may be in letter format. 2. Two letters of character reference. * 3. Two letters of reference regarding artistic proficiency, preferably from past or present teachers or colleagues of the applicant. The person providing the reference should state his or her opinion of the applicant's work and progress. ** 4. Two original samples of the applicant's paintings. Only applicants residing outside the D.C. metro area may substitute photographs or color slides. 5. A clear, legible photocopy of current driver's license or other government-issued identification card 6. Completed NGA form 321, Authorization for Release of Information. 7. Completed Acceptance of Conditions form. *A letter from a current copyist will not be considered as one of the four necessary for the application procedure; it may, however, be included as an auxiliary reference. **Each person providing a reference must send their letter of recommendation directly to the Registrar s Office. The Registrar's Office determines suitability of the prospective copyist. The Registrar's Office will limit the number of individuals who may copy at any one time.
Once all the application materials have been received and approved, the Registrar s Office will contact the applicant to appear in person for an interview. Applicants residing outside of the D.C. metro area may request a telephone interview. The applicant should be prepared to discuss his/her interest in the Gallery program, and bring appropriate identification and original samples of paintings, if photos/slides have not yet been submitted. Oil and Other Liquid Medium: Permit for Copying A permit issued by the Registrar's Office is required for copying in oil or any other liquid medium. It is valid for thirty calendar days and may be renewed on a monthly basis. Upon completion of a copy, the permit must be returned to the Registrar's Office. A new permit must be obtained for each copy. ONLY ONE WORK MAY BE COPIED AT A TIME. A COPYIST MAY HOLD ONLY ONE PERMIT AT A TIME. Dry Medium: A permit to copy in a dry medium is only necessary if the copyist wishes to have the Gallery provide an easel, in which case all of the rules for liquid medium copying apply. Three-dimensional copying is not permitted. Equipment The Gallery will provide an easel, stool and drop cloth. Only those easels and stools provided by the Gallery may be used. When available, lockers are assigned to copyists to store supplies at the Gallery. Copyists may be asked to share lockers, as space is limited. Lockers must be emptied and keys or locks returned upon expiration of the permit if another permit is not obtained. The Gallery will dispose of all property that has not been removed from the copyist s locker room within thirty days after the expiration of the copyist s last permit. Copyists must dispose of all combustible materials, i.e. solvent or oil soaked rags, in the chemical waste can provided. No combustible materials may be stored in lockers. Any copyist found to be storing combustible materials in the lockers may be subject to cancellation of their copying privileges. A copyist may store only one (1) jar of solvents in the flammables locker in a jar approved by The Registrar s Office. Hours and Dates Except for additional restrictions listed elsewhere in these rules, copying is permitted
Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm, excluding legal holidays, the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Restricted Galleries Only works of art from the Gallery's permanent collection on the main floor of the West Building may be copied. Copying is not permitted at any time in any of the West Building lobbies, sculpture halls and garden courts, nor in the following West Building galleries: 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 33, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 50a, 50b, 50c, 60, 60A, 60B, 69A, 70, 75, 82, 87, 88, 91 and 92. Additional galleries are scheduled to close throughout the duration of the Master Facilities Plan, a long-term program of capital improvements to the East and West Buildings. You can obtain a schedule of gallery closures from the Registrars Office once an interview is granted. Copying is not permitted in the East Building, the ground floor galleries of the West Building, or in special exhibitions. Paintings on loan to the National Gallery may not be copied. The Gallery reserves the right, for any reason and without advance notification, to impose additional restrictions on areas where copying is permitted. Paintings hanging in areas of high traffic, such as near doorways, may in some cases be restricted. All Tours and Gallery Talks Restrictions Related to Gallery Talks While a gallery tour or talk is being conducted in the gallery where a copyist is painting, the copyist must stop work and step away from the easel. If the easel blocks the audience's view, the copyist must move it aside. Permanent Collection Focus Lectures Copying of paintings in the Permanent Collection Focus lecture series is not permitted between 11:30am and 2:30pm. The Gallery's Calendar of Events contains the schedule and can be obtained from the information desks. Size of Copies The copy must be at least two inches smaller or larger than the original painting in both height and width. There is no exception to this rule. No copy may exceed 40 inches in either dimension, regardless of the size of the original.
Attendance Each copyist is assigned one copying day per week. This schedule will remain in effect until the copy is completed. If a copyist knows in advance that she/he will not be able to work on the reserved day, he/she should inform the Registrar's Office by 4pm on the Friday of the preceding week. A schedule change may be granted depending on availability. Arrangements may be made for copyists visiting from outside the Washington Metropolitan area to copy more than one day per week for a limited time. Failure to attend regularly on the assigned day may result in cancellation of the copyist s permit. Copying Original Artist's Signature If the original artist's signature is copied it must be preceded by the words: "Copy after" and bear the copyist's name and date. Soliciting Business within the Building No copyist or other person may offer any painting or copy of a painting for sale on the premises of the National Gallery of Art, nor may any person solicit commissions or employment to copy paintings while on National Gallery of Art property. Gallery Endorsement of a Copyist's Work The National Gallery of Art's issuance of a "Copyist's Permit" does not in any way constitute the Gallery's endorsement of a copyist's work, and the copyist must not make any representation, express or implied, to the contrary. Similarly, the copyist must not make any representation, explicit or implicit, that the copy is anything more than a reproduction by the copyist of a work of art. If a copyist wishes to use the National Gallery of Art's name in any form on publicity or advertisements for their work, it must first be cleared by the Gallery. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of copying privileges. Bringing Copies into the Building When a copyist is ready to start a new painting, he/she should enter the building with his/her blank canvas through the East Service Entrance of the West Building. The security officer there will call the Registrar s Office, who will escort the copyist to the office. When a registered copyist needs to visit the Registrar s Office, he/she should show their valid Copyist Permit to the security officers at the 4 th Street or 6 th Street Entrances, call the Registrar s Office to announce his/her arrival, and then proceed to the Registrar s Office.
Removing Copies from the Building When a copyist is finished working on a painting, the permit must be handed in to the Registrar's Office. The copy cannot leave the building for at least 24 hours, and must remain in the locker room until that time. The copy must then be brought to the Registrar's Office, who issues a National Gallery of Art property pass, along with the cleared permit. These documents will be surrendered to the security officer upon exiting the building. Copies cannot be removed from the Gallery on the same day that a permit has been submitted for removal. Painting Procedures 1. Only one copyist is permitted to work in a gallery at a time. 2. Easels must be placed at least four feet from all works of art. The copyist must exercise extreme care and foresight in moving the easel into position to copy in order to avoid the possibility of accident, injury or damage to any National Gallery property or visitors. 3. Precautions must be taken to ensure that all materials are handled in a safe manner so as to protect visitors from accident or injury, and works of art, furniture, floors and walls from damage. No liquids or materials (including paints and brushes) are to be left exposed and unattended by the copyist at any time. When breaking for lunch, the copyist should return paints and brushes to the locker room or place them beneath the easel in a locked box. 4. Copyists are to position themselves and their easels in such a way as to ensure that no painting is obscured from the view of others. 5. The use of sprays and fixatives is prohibited. 6. Copyists may only use odorless solvents such as Odorless Turpenoid or other odorless turpentine substitutes approved by the NGA. Solvents must be stored in jars with airtight, sealed lids, and no more than 2 oz. of solvent may be kept in the containers. 7. Before leaving each day, the copyist is required to remove all trash from the easel and drop cloth, wipe off the shelf and adjacent areas of the easel with a turpentine cloth and return the easel, stool and drop cloth to the place in which it was found. 8. When finished copying for the day, copyists are required to proceed directly to the copyists' locker room area where facilities are available for storage of canvases and painting materials. Wet canvases and painting materials are not permitted in any other area of the Gallery. 9. Copyists are not permitted to move easels, stools, or drop clothes between
galleries. If any or all of the Gallery supplied equipment is not in the assigned gallery the copyist must call the Registrar's Office. 10. The Gallery reserves the right, for any reason and without advance notification, to impose additional conditions and restrictions on the conduct and activities of copyists on the Gallery premises. Penalties Violation of any of the rules contained herein may result in the imposition of criminal penalties. In addition, the National Gallery of Art may cancel or refuse issue of a permit to copy a work of art for violation of any of the above rules or for any other reason. Any further inquiries may be directed to: Office of the Registrar National Gallery of Art 2000B S. Club Dr. Landover, MD 20785 202-842-6232
ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS For Copying Works of Art On being granted permission to copy works of art in the National Gallery of Art, the undersigned agrees to abide by all rules and conditions as set forth in the National Gallery of Art's Rules Governing the Copying of Works of Art, as revised June 2009. NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: Office: Residence: EMAIL ADDRESS: I have received a copy of the above-mentioned Rules Governing the Copying of Works of Art and am fully aware that noncompliance with these rules and conditions will result in cancellation of my "Copyist's Permit" and future copying privileges. I understand that my permit is non-transferable and in no way constitutes an endorsement of my work. APPLICANT SIGNATURE: DATE: For Office Use Interview Date: Initials: References: Notes: SSN or Passport Number:
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART AUTHORIZATION FOR RELEASE OF INFORMATION Carefully read this authorization to release information about you, then sign and date it in black ink. I Authorize any investigator, special agent, or other duly accredited representative of the National Gallery of Art conducting my background investigation to obtain any information relating to my activities from employers and criminal justice agencies. This information may include, but is not limited to, my achievement, performance, attendance and disciplinary employment history, and my criminal history record information. I Understand that, for some sources of information, a separate specific release will be needed, and I may be contacted for such a release at a later date. I Authorize custodians of records and sources of information pertaining to me to release such information upon request of the investigator, special agent, or other duly accredited representative of the National Gallery of Art authorized above regardless of any previous agreement to the contrary. I Understand that the information released by records custodians and sources of information is for official use by the National Gallery of Art only for the purposes provided herein and may be redisclosed by the National Gallery of Art only as authorized by law. Copies of this authorization that show my signature are as valid as the original release signed by me. This authorization is valid for two (2) years from the date signed. Signature (Sign in ink) * (Print COMPLETE MIDDLE NAME below) Full Name (Type or Print Legibly) Last First Middle Date Signed Other Names Used Date of Birth SSN Current Address (Street, City) State ZIP Code Home Telephone Number (Include Area Code) Driver s License Nr: State License Issued By: