Transfer of Rights

Table of Contents

Introduction
Rights and their Acquisition
Multiple Owners with Different Stakes
- Transfer of Shares
Intellectual Property Rights

Introduction

Ownership is often more complicated than a single individual acquiring an object and immediately having both physical possession and the legal right of ownership. This section deals with the description of more complex scenarios that require explicitly describing the right that is held by a particular actor, such as for asymmetric shared ownership of an object. Other scenarios in which a right is being transferred or created rather than the more specific case of the entire right of ownership are also covered here, such as the intellectual property right to perform a work of time-based media or theatre.

Rights and their Acquisition

The model for acquiring an object (by purchase, gift or other means) incorporates the specific right of ownership into the properties of the Acquisition resource. The acquisition transfers the title of the object between parties, but that "title" could be expanded to a more completely modeled Right. For some scenarios where we have more information about the interactions and legal status, we need to explicitly model these rights.

Rights are conceptual things that apply to their real world subjects. They are not relative to time, but can be established and invalidated by various activities or events. The simplest case would be that as part of the provenance event where an object is acquired, there is also the establishment of the right of ownership of that object by the new owner and the invalidation of the right of ownership of the previous owner.

While it is possible and valid to have both the Acquisition and the Right in a single provenance entry, it is redundant as the acquisition model is simpler and more concise without losing any information. The sections below introduce scenarios in which information would be lost without the explicit modeling of the Right.

In order to connect the Right to the provenance activity, we introduce a new Activity subclass called RightAcquistion. It has two new properties: establishes links the Right that was established by this activity, and invalidates can optionally link to the Right that was rendered invalid by the activity.

Instances of Right have two properties: possessed_by refers to the actor (Group or Person) that has the right described, and applies_to refers to the thing over which the right pertains.

{
  "@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
  "id": "https://linked.art/example/provenance/27",
  "type": "Activity",
  "classified_as": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055863",
      "type": "Type",
      "_label": "Provenance Activity"
    }
  ],
  "part": [
    {
      "type": "Acquisition",
      "transferred_title_of": [
        {
          "type": "HumanMadeObject",
          "_label": "Painting"
        }
      ],
      "transferred_title_to": [
        {
          "type": "Group",
          "_label": "Museum"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "RightAcquisition",
      "establishes": {
        "type": "Right",
        "_label": "Right of Ownership for Painting",
        "classified_as": [
          {
            "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
            "type": "Type",
            "_label": "Ownership Right"
          }
        ],
        "possessed_by": [
          {
            "type": "Group",
            "_label": "Museum"
          }
        ],
        "applies_to": [
          {
            "type": "HumanMadeObject",
            "_label": "Painting"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

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Multiple Owners with Different Stakes

A change in ownership might involve more than two parties, resulting in a state where multiple actors together own some share of the object. Examples of this situation include when art dealers share the costs of purchasing an object and then share the proceeds of sale in the same proportions, when a donor gives part of the value of an object to an institution, or when a marriage is dissolved and the value of the object is split between the individuals.

The base acquisition model allows for ownership to be transferred to multiple actors, but it is impossible to then determine the share of the value that was owned by each party and the implicit assumption should be that all parties owned equal shares. In order to allow for the description of different proportions of the object to be owned by different actors, we need partition the Right into shares to be divided. These components are themselves Rights that are possessed by the respective parties.

In the same way as describing the physical extent of a physical object, we can use a Dimension to describe the logical extent of the ownership. At any given time the total shares of an object should, of course, add up to the entire object. If this is not true, then it might signify either that the accounting is wrong (more than 100% of the object is claimed as being owned), theft (multiple claims of ownership at the same time, some of which are illegal), or just that it is now unknown what happened.

{
  "@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
  "id": "https://linked.art/example/provenance/28",
  "type": "Activity",
  "_label": "Purchase of Painting by Two Dealers",
  "classified_as": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055863",
      "type": "Type",
      "_label": "Provenance Activity"
    }
  ],
  "part": [
    {
      "type": "RightAcquisition",
      "establishes": {
        "type": "Right",
        "_label": "Total Right of Ownership",
        "classified_as": [
          {
            "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
            "type": "Type",
            "_label": "Ownership Right"
          }
        ],
        "applies_to": [
          {
            "type": "HumanMadeObject",
            "_label": "Painting",
            "classified_as": [
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300033618",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Painting",
                "classified_as": [
                  {
                    "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300435443",
                    "type": "Type",
                    "_label": "Type of Work"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "part": [
          {
            "type": "Right",
            "_label": "30% Ownership by Dealer 1",
            "classified_as": [
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Ownership Right"
              }
            ],
            "dimension": [
              {
                "type": "Dimension",
                "value": 30,
                "unit": {
                  "id": "http://qudt.org/1.1/vocab/unit/Percent",
                  "type": "MeasurementUnit",
                  "_label": "Percent"
                }
              }
            ],
            "possessed_by": [
              {
                "type": "Group",
                "_label": "Dealer 1"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "type": "Right",
            "_label": "70% Ownership by Dealer 2",
            "classified_as": [
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Ownership Right"
              }
            ],
            "dimension": [
              {
                "type": "Dimension",
                "value": 70,
                "unit": {
                  "id": "http://qudt.org/1.1/vocab/unit/Percent",
                  "type": "MeasurementUnit",
                  "_label": "Percent"
                }
              }
            ],
            "possessed_by": [
              {
                "type": "Group",
                "_label": "Dealer 2"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

graph TD classDef object stroke:black,fill:#E1BA9C,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef actor stroke:black,fill:#FFBDCA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef type stroke:red,fill:#FAB565,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef name stroke:orange,fill:#FEF3BA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef dims stroke:black,fill:#c6c6c6,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef infoobj stroke:#907010,fill:#fffa40,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef timespan stroke:blue,fill:#ddfffe,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef place stroke:#3a7a3a,fill:#aff090,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef event stroke:#1010FF,fill:#96e0f6,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef literal stroke:black,fill:#f0f0e0; classDef classstyle stroke:black,fill:white; O1(provenance28) class O1 event; O1-- type -->O1_0[Activity] class O1_0 classstyle; O1-- _label -->O1_4("''Purchase of Painting by Two Dealers''") class O1_4 literal; O2(aat:300055863) class O2 type; O2-- type -->O2_0[Type] class O2_0 classstyle; O2-- _label -->O2_3("''Provenance Activity''") class O2_3 literal; O1-- classified_as -->O2 O3( _ ) class O3 event; O3-- type -->O3_0[RightAcquisition] class O3_0 classstyle; O4( _ ) class O4 infoobj; O4-- type -->O4_0[Right] class O4_0 classstyle; O4-- _label -->O4_2("''Total Right of Ownership''") class O4_2 literal; O5(aat:300055603) class O5 type; O5-- type -->O5_0[Type] class O5_0 classstyle; O5-- _label -->O5_3("''Ownership Right''") class O5_3 literal; O4-- classified_as -->O5 O6( _ ) class O6 object; O6-- type -->O6_0[HumanMadeObject] class O6_0 classstyle; O6-- _label -->O6_2("''Painting''") class O6_2 literal; O7(aat:300033618) class O7 type; O7-- type -->O7_0[Type] class O7_0 classstyle; O7-- _label -->O7_3("''Painting''") class O7_3 literal; O8(aat:300435443) class O8 type; O8-- type -->O8_0[Type] class O8_0 classstyle; O8-- _label -->O8_3("''Type of Work''") class O8_3 literal; O7-- classified_as -->O8 O6-- classified_as -->O7 O4-- applies_to -->O6 O9( _ ) class O9 infoobj; O9-- type -->O9_0[Right] class O9_0 classstyle; O9-- _label -->O9_2("''30% Ownership by Dealer 1''") class O9_2 literal; O9-- classified_as -->O5 O10( _ ) class O10 dims; O10-- type -->O10_0[Dimension] class O10_0 classstyle; O10-- value -->O10_2(30) class O10_2 literal; O11(qudt:Percent) class O11 type; O11-- type -->O11_0[MeasurementUnit] class O11_0 classstyle; O11-- _label -->O11_3("''Percent''") class O11_3 literal; O10-- unit -->O11 O9-- dimension -->O10 O12( _ ) class O12 actor; O12-- type -->O12_0[Group] class O12_0 classstyle; O12-- _label -->O12_2("''Dealer 1''") class O12_2 literal; O9-- possessed_by -->O12 O4-- part -->O9 O13( _ ) class O13 infoobj; O13-- type -->O13_0[Right] class O13_0 classstyle; O13-- _label -->O13_2("''70% Ownership by Dealer 2''") class O13_2 literal; O13-- classified_as -->O5 O14( _ ) class O14 dims; O14-- type -->O14_0[Dimension] class O14_0 classstyle; O14-- value -->O14_2(70) class O14_2 literal; O14-- unit -->O11 O13-- dimension -->O14 O15( _ ) class O15 actor; O15-- type -->O15_0[Group] class O15_0 classstyle; O15-- _label -->O15_2("''Dealer 2''") class O15_2 literal; O13-- possessed_by -->O15 O4-- part -->O13 O3-- establishes -->O4 O1-- part -->O3

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Transfer of Shares

Once the share of an object has been established, that right can be traded as part of future provenance entries.

In order to maintain consistency with the original establishment of the division of ownership, the difference between the initial state and the new state is not described, but instead the new state is described directly. If a 10% share is acquired from another owner, the 10% is not traded requiring the system to calculate the new total proportions, but instead the new total proportions are described.

If only existing owners are part of the entry, then there is no need to establish a new Right that is the new total ownership, it is simply a new division of the existing total. Ownership Rights are brought into existence by Acquisition events - the set of people who possess the right is fixed, and is the same set of actors as those referenced by title_transferred_to. Thus any new Acquisition by a new partial owner requires a new Ownership Right, as described above.

{
  "@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
  "id": "https://linked.art/example/provenance/29",
  "type": "Activity",
  "_label": "Trading Shares of Painting between Two Dealers",
  "classified_as": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055863",
      "type": "Type",
      "_label": "Provenance Activity"
    }
  ],
  "part": [
    {
      "type": "RightAcquisition",
      "establishes": {
        "type": "Right",
        "_label": "40% Ownership by Dealer 1",
        "classified_as": [
          {
            "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
            "type": "Type",
            "_label": "Ownership Right"
          }
        ],
        "dimension": [
          {
            "type": "Dimension",
            "value": 40,
            "unit": {
              "id": "http://qudt.org/1.1/vocab/unit/Percent",
              "type": "MeasurementUnit",
              "_label": "Percent"
            }
          }
        ],
        "possessed_by": [
          {
            "type": "Group",
            "_label": "Dealer 1"
          }
        ],
        "applies_to": [
          {
            "type": "HumanMadeObject",
            "_label": "Painting",
            "classified_as": [
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300033618",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Painting",
                "classified_as": [
                  {
                    "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300435443",
                    "type": "Type",
                    "_label": "Type of Work"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      "invalidates": [
        {
          "type": "Right",
          "_label": "30% Ownership by Dealer 1",
          "classified_as": [
            {
              "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
              "type": "Type",
              "_label": "Ownership Right"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "RightAcquisition",
      "establishes": {
        "type": "Right",
        "_label": "60% Ownership by Dealer 2",
        "classified_as": [
          {
            "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
            "type": "Type",
            "_label": "Ownership Right"
          }
        ],
        "dimension": [
          {
            "type": "Dimension",
            "value": 70,
            "unit": {
              "id": "http://qudt.org/1.1/vocab/unit/Percent",
              "type": "MeasurementUnit",
              "_label": "Percent"
            }
          }
        ],
        "possessed_by": [
          {
            "type": "Group",
            "_label": "Dealer 2"
          }
        ]
      },
      "invalidates": [
        {
          "type": "Right",
          "_label": "70% Ownership by Dealer 2",
          "classified_as": [
            {
              "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055603",
              "type": "Type",
              "_label": "Ownership Right"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

graph TD classDef object stroke:black,fill:#E1BA9C,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef actor stroke:black,fill:#FFBDCA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef type stroke:red,fill:#FAB565,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef name stroke:orange,fill:#FEF3BA,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef dims stroke:black,fill:#c6c6c6,rx:20px,ry:20px; classDef infoobj stroke:#907010,fill:#fffa40,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef timespan stroke:blue,fill:#ddfffe,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef place stroke:#3a7a3a,fill:#aff090,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef event stroke:#1010FF,fill:#96e0f6,rx:20px,ry:20px classDef literal stroke:black,fill:#f0f0e0; classDef classstyle stroke:black,fill:white; O1(provenance29) class O1 event; O1-- type -->O1_0[Activity] class O1_0 classstyle; O1-- _label -->O1_4("''Trading Shares of Painting between Two Dealers''") class O1_4 literal; O2(aat:300055863) class O2 type; O2-- type -->O2_0[Type] class O2_0 classstyle; O2-- _label -->O2_3("''Provenance Activity''") class O2_3 literal; O1-- classified_as -->O2 O3( _ ) class O3 event; O3-- type -->O3_0[RightAcquisition] class O3_0 classstyle; O4( _ ) class O4 infoobj; O4-- type -->O4_0[Right] class O4_0 classstyle; O4-- _label -->O4_2("''40% Ownership by Dealer 1''") class O4_2 literal; O5(aat:300055603) class O5 type; O5-- type -->O5_0[Type] class O5_0 classstyle; O5-- _label -->O5_3("''Ownership Right''") class O5_3 literal; O4-- classified_as -->O5 O6( _ ) class O6 dims; O6-- type -->O6_0[Dimension] class O6_0 classstyle; O6-- value -->O6_2(40) class O6_2 literal; O7(qudt:Percent) class O7 type; O7-- type -->O7_0[MeasurementUnit] class O7_0 classstyle; O7-- _label -->O7_3("''Percent''") class O7_3 literal; O6-- unit -->O7 O4-- dimension -->O6 O8( _ ) class O8 actor; O8-- type -->O8_0[Group] class O8_0 classstyle; O8-- _label -->O8_2("''Dealer 1''") class O8_2 literal; O4-- possessed_by -->O8 O9( _ ) class O9 object; O9-- type -->O9_0[HumanMadeObject] class O9_0 classstyle; O9-- _label -->O9_2("''Painting''") class O9_2 literal; O10(aat:300033618) class O10 type; O10-- type -->O10_0[Type] class O10_0 classstyle; O10-- _label -->O10_3("''Painting''") class O10_3 literal; O11(aat:300435443) class O11 type; O11-- type -->O11_0[Type] class O11_0 classstyle; O11-- _label -->O11_3("''Type of Work''") class O11_3 literal; O10-- classified_as -->O11 O9-- classified_as -->O10 O4-- applies_to -->O9 O3-- establishes -->O4 O12( _ ) class O12 infoobj; O12-- type -->O12_0[Right] class O12_0 classstyle; O12-- _label -->O12_2("''30% Ownership by Dealer 1''") class O12_2 literal; O12-- classified_as -->O5 O3-- invalidates -->O12 O1-- part -->O3 O13( _ ) class O13 event; O13-- type -->O13_0[RightAcquisition] class O13_0 classstyle; O14( _ ) class O14 infoobj; O14-- type -->O14_0[Right] class O14_0 classstyle; O14-- _label -->O14_2("''60% Ownership by Dealer 2''") class O14_2 literal; O14-- classified_as -->O5 O15( _ ) class O15 dims; O15-- type -->O15_0[Dimension] class O15_0 classstyle; O15-- value -->O15_2(70) class O15_2 literal; O15-- unit -->O7 O14-- dimension -->O15 O16( _ ) class O16 actor; O16-- type -->O16_0[Group] class O16_0 classstyle; O16-- _label -->O16_2("''Dealer 2''") class O16_2 literal; O14-- possessed_by -->O16 O13-- establishes -->O14 O17( _ ) class O17 infoobj; O17-- type -->O17_0[Right] class O17_0 classstyle; O17-- _label -->O17_2("''70% Ownership by Dealer 2''") class O17_2 literal; O17-- classified_as -->O5 O13-- invalidates -->O17 O1-- part -->O13

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Intellectual Property Rights

Other sorts of rights associated with art that can be acquired include the intellectual property rights, such as copyright for a text or image, separate from any physical carrier, or the right to perform some piece of time-based media such as a projected installation. The manipulation of these rights also uses the RightAcquisition pattern.

Many copyrights for images are owned by collective organizations rather than individuals, and these organizations can acquire and exchange those copyrights completely independently of any physical carrier of the image.

Example:

A copyright management organization, the Paintings Copyright Association, acquired the copyright for a particular painting in 2014.

{
  "@context": "https://linked.art/ns/v1/linked-art.json",
  "id": "https://linked.art/example/provenance/30",
  "type": "Activity",
  "_label": "Copyright acquisition by PCA",
  "classified_as": [
    {
      "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055863",
      "type": "Type",
      "_label": "Provenance Activity"
    }
  ],
  "part": [
    {
      "type": "RightAcquisition",
      "establishes": {
        "type": "Right",
        "classified_as": [
          {
            "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300055598",
            "type": "Type",
            "_label": "Copyright"
          }
        ],
        "possessed_by": [
          {
            "type": "Group",
            "_label": "Paintings Copyright Association"
          }
        ],
        "applies_to": [
          {
            "type": "HumanMadeObject",
            "_label": "Painting",
            "classified_as": [
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300033618",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Painting",
                "classified_as": [
                  {
                    "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300435443",
                    "type": "Type",
                    "_label": "Type of Work"
                  }
                ]
              },
              {
                "id": "http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300133025",
                "type": "Type",
                "_label": "Artwork"
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

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