“The whole value of an art work is not made on the original sale,” said April Britski, national executive director of the Canadian Arts Representation [CARFAC]. “Visual artists are at a great disadvantage compared to writers or musicians who keep getting money from recordings or books. [With art,] you sell it once and it’s gone.”
CARFAC is lobbying for a five-per-cent resale right to be added to proposed amendments to Canada’s copyright legislation. The right exists in 59 other countries, including the UK and France, but not in the United States.
A work of art is supposed to unique. Novels and albums are meant to be reproduced. I think a better analogy would be a poster of the work of art. Also, a painting say of comparable stature sells for a lot more money than one book.