Madam, - I was disheartened by the negative, one-sided and inaccurate article on the impending "droit de suite" legislation in a recent edition of The Irish Times. Most reasonable people consider the new levy a progressive development that, by allowing the visual artist a small share in the profit made through the exploitation of the artist's work, brings the visual artist into line with both writers and composers who are already protected by law.
This measure was first introduced in France after the First World War to help the widows of the many artists who had perished in that war, and in fact, the purpose of the legislation is not too dissimilar today.
By concentrating on the handful of Irish paintings that fetch high prices today and by quoting the upper limit of the levy that would have to be paid by the vendor of a very expensive picture four times in the course of a short article, Eivlín Roden creates a distorted impression of the measure. In fact, the "droit de suite" is designed to help the majority of artists and their dependants whose lot is very different from the few high flyers in the art market.
Consider the situation of an artist, approaching old age, who has devoted a long life to the creation of art-works but, like many other artists, enjoyed only a modest financial return. With advancing years, quite naturally, artistic output drops with a further reduction of income, yet at the same time, early work might begin to sell at auction houses for reasonable prices. Ironically, under existing conditions, everyone profits from this possibility except the one person who is responsible for this windfall - the artist. "Droit de suite" will change that.
Consider how a widow, who has supported her artistic husband through many difficult years, might feel, when after his death, his paintings begin selling for increased prices at auction, yet, under current legislation, she finds she is entitled to nothing. "Droit de suite" will change that.
Finally, Eivlín Roden suggests that the Artists Association of Ireland is likely to be the administering body for the funds resulting from the new measure. Not likely! The AAI ceased to exist several years ago having been dealt a fatal blow by the then Arts Council.
There is a sculpture in the Rotunda of the City Hall in Dublin and inscribed on its base is the legend "Property has its reponsibilities as well as its rights". Not a bad notion when considering the impending legislation. - Yours, etc.,
ROBERT BALLAGH, Broadstone, Dublin 7.