Botticelli v. Warhol: Comparative perspectives on the use of cultural heritage images

Organised by

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• CDS: The Centre for a Digital Society

This multidisciplinary conference brings together experts in intellectual property law, cultural heritage preservation, art history and media to examine the evolving legal landscape governing cultural icons and heritage images. Using the symbolic comparison of Sandro Botticelli and Andy Warhol, the conference explores how intellectual property and private international laws address the reinterpretation and use of historically significant works in commercial and non-commercial contexts. As these works are reproduced, transformed, and reimagined across borders and media, critical questions emerge around ownership, rights, and the cultural stewardship of images that transcend time and place.

The conference will examine how different legal systems address these issues through copyright exceptions such as fair use in the United States and statutory limitations in Continental Europe. These exceptions allow for varied approaches to artistic reinterpretation, use, study, and preservation, revealing both opportunities and challenges for businesses, contemporary artists, researchers, and cultural institutions. Botticelli’s public domain status and Warhol’s high-profile adaptations serve as touch-points for discussions on the limits and protections of fair use, research, educational exemptions, and preservation rights, as well as on licensing strategies that mediate cultural access, artistic freedom and commercial interests.

Through a roundtable, expert panels and a keynote speech, participants will engage in a nuanced dialogue on how different legal systems regulate access to their cultural heritage and impact follow-on creative expressions, fostering an informed, cross-border perspective on the role of law in safeguarding and reimagining shared cultural treasures.

For any organisation inquiries, please refer to [email protected]

Attachments:

• Programme.pdf