Can Copies Have More ‘Aura’ Than Originals? - From the Perspective of Paintings

Abstract

From the day a work of art is created, its tangible carrier has the function of being used for reference and study, which means that the vast majority of works of art are inherently reproducible. This has led to the negative impact of people with superior skills who can reproduce identical works of art and confuse the public, resulting in the infringement of the rights to which the original author is entitled and the blinding of the ignorant masses. Especially in today’s technologically advanced world, the cost of making a simple copy is getting lower and lower, and the quality of a fine copy is getting higher and higher. Moreover, some copies can take away the “aura” of the original work. In fact, reproductions are only reproductions because the originality of the original work and the “here and now” of its creation cannot be reproduced. However, an exquisite copy, given the right environment, light, and other factors, may be able to replicate or even surpass the “aura” of the original work. This reproduction can prevent the original work from being destroyed for various reasons. Then, it will not be easy to reproduce it in the world, and a good quality reproduction can preserve the excellent original work as close to its original form as possible. In addition, a large number of copies can also increase the popularity of the original work. Therefore, the protection of reproductions is also necessary. The presence of perfect-quality copies is positive for the original work.