INTRODUCTION 3

I. PRAGMATIC BEDROCKS OF COPYRIGHT 4
A. Clearly Defined Works 5
B. Limited Duration of Rights, Coupled with a Robust and Predictable Public Domain 5
C. Defined Ownership 7
D. Appropriate Exceptions and Limitations 7

II. ITALY: CULTURAL HERITAGE LAW 9
A. Overview of the Italian Law 9
B. Protections Accorded By the Cultural Heritage Code for Physical Objects 9
C. Protections Accorded to Physical Objects by International Conventions 10
D. Creation of Copyright-Type Protection 11
E. Claims Asserted Pursuant to the Italian Law 12
1. Examples of claims that have been asserted 12
a. Vitruvian Man puzzle 12
b. Jean Paul Gautier couture 15
c. Michelangelo’s The David 16
i. ArmaLite advertisement 16
ii. GQ Magazine cover 17
iii. Joe & the Juice promotion 19
2. Examples of Uses That Would Not Be Subject to Claims 20
a. The Mona Lisa 21
b. Jean Paul Gautier’s Couture Featuring Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” 22
F. Similar Laws Elsewhere in Europe and Conflicts with the E.U. law 23
G. Comparison to Bedrock Principles 26

III. FRANCE: MONUMENTS OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE 26
A. An Introduction to French Law Protecting Structures 26
1. Chambord Châteaux 27
2. The Louvre: Two Examples 28
3. Notre-Dame de Paris 29
4. Eiffel Tower 31
B. Conflicts with the Right of Panorama 33
C. Conflict with E.U. law 35
D. Comparison to the Bedrock Principles 36

IV. PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSION (TCES) 36
A. Defining TCEs and Interplay with Copyright Law 36
B. Legal Regimes 37
1. World Intellectual Property Organization 37
2. Other international instruments 38
3. National laws 39
C. Examples of claims based on TCE laws 39
1. Junya Watanable apparel 40
2. Ralph Lauren shawls 40
3. Adidas slip-on shoes 41
4. Chanel boomerang 43
5. A Lacrosse stick 43
D. Cultural Protection or Censorship 44
E. Comparison to Bedrock Principles 47

V. OTHER WAYS OF LOOKING AT CULTURAL HERITAGE REGULATIONS 47
A. Applicability of moral rights laws 47
B. Applicability of consumer protection laws 48

CONCLUSION 50

This Essay, delivered as the Copyright Society’s 2025 Donald C. Brace Lecture, examines the conflict between copyright laws and statutory protections for cultural heritage including protections for traditional cultural expression.