DROIT DE SUITE

droit de suite (drwah d<<schwa>> sweet), n.[French “right to follow”] 1. A creditor’s right to

recover a debtor’s property after it passes to a third  party. 2.Copyright. An artist’s resale royalty;

the right of a work’s creator to benefit from appreciation in the value of the work by receiving a

portion  of  the  profit  from  its  later  resales.  •  A  droit  de  suite  is  recognized  in  some  European

“The droit de suite (literally translated as the right to follow the work) enables artists to claim

a portion of the price for which a work is resold. The idea is that an artist may sell a painting for a

low price at a time when they are unknown and have little bargaining power. In due course, as the

artist’s reputation develops, the painting may be resold for continually increasing sums…. The right

is  seen  to  be  justified  not  only  because  it  encourages  creation,  but  also  because  the  artist  is

conceived  (through  the  authorial  link)  as  being  responsible  for  the  increase  in  value  (economic

success of their works).” Lionel Bently & Brad Sherman, Intellectual Property Law 281 (2001). [Blacks Law 8th]