I'm wondering what's the copyright laws on use of images such as the monalisa or Picasso. Like paintings and stuff which are rather old. Is the copyright of them owned by anyone?
There is no copyright protection on the original artwork the Mona Lisa. You can draw it, you can make your own reproduction, you can take a photo of it and sell it, you can use it in your own works (and websites) to your hearts content. I don't know the age of every Picasso work so it is not simple to answer that part. Since he did not die until 1973 it would be reasonable to assume that many of his works are still protected by copyright. There are some differences of views about using photos of the artwork. I think in a technical legal sense what you can't do it take someone else's photo of it and use that. The reason is that the photographer has a copyright on his photo. Some people feel that an exact photo of the artwork is not entitled to copyright protection. Personally, I would have no problem using someone else's photo of the Mona Lisa unless it was something other than a true copy of the artwork mainly due to the very low risk of anyone caring or noticing, and the fact that it is questionable legal right.
The guy above is right regarding people's ability to draw, etc. However, for reprint rights, the owner of the print rights is usually the gallery that owns it. In the case of the mona lisa, it is the Louvre. I may be wrong. But that's my impression.
You only need to by a reprint from the Lourve if you want to. There are hundreds of other companies and sites that sell copies of the Mona Lisa. The Louvre has no legal right to control (or to stop) others from selling Mona Lisa reprints.
The copyright laws were not invented at that time. Which is why everyone prints the Mona Lisa on Birthday cards, postcards and sings songs about it. The song "Mona Lisa by Tony Bennett" has a copyright on it. Because Bennett wrote and performed it and made it famous. However, just because the underlying work is "old" and not copyrighted does not mean you can take anyone else's copy and use it! Each "new" copy of the Mona Lisa painting could have "creative" differences that merit separate protection. For example, you can't copyright the Grand Canyon, but everyone who takes a picture of it owns the copyright of that picture. legal-advice-forum.com
The last answer is the one that is correct! Copyright extends to original images and also copies of that image.
I was pretty sure the copyright expires only 50 years after the copyright holder dies. Not while the owner is still alive. Anyways.. The monalisa has no copyright. For Picasso I have no idea, but I think some of his work might still be copyrighted.