Award-winning embroidery accused of copying painting   

刺绣艺人复制画家作品获奖 网上叫卖44800元

潜心创作一年的画作，毫不知情被刺绣艺人拿去“复制”绣成新作，两幅作品“连渔网绳纹络都一致”。意外的是“复制”的湘绣作品还获得一项国家级展览金奖，更摆到网上叫价44800元。 [查看全文]

(ECNS) – An award-winning embroidered artwork has been accused of duplicating a published painting, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

Titled "Jianghe Qingqiu," the embroidery was made by Huang Di, an artist from Hunan province. It won two gold awards at national-level exhibitions in 2013, one of which was hosted by the China Arts and Crafts Association, and has been put up for sale online at 44,800 yuan ($7,148).

The online sale has angered the original creator of "Jianghe Qingqiu," Chen Qingping, who produced the elaborate painting in 2009.

According to Chen, the embroidery is exactly the same as his painting, except for the creator's signature.

"What's the artistic value of a pirated work?" said Chen.

Huang said she did "duplicate" Chen's painting. "I saw his painting in a picture book, and managed to embroider it."

Huang added that she had texted Chen with an apology.

A staffer with the China Arts and Crafts Association said artworks that they sponsor must be original and not violate intellectual property rights, "but it's hard for us to verify the originality of each work."

A lawyer named Xu Han said that even though embroidery is different from painting, it did infringe on Chen's patent.