Posted By:
Max WederJim
There shouldn't be an issue with an artist painting an original work of a famous person. There have been numerous lawsuits about whether a celebrity has the right to block the reproduction of the artist's work. The leading case in California deals with a person producing T-Shirts of the Three Stooges with a drawing done on them by an artist with 25 years of art experience. The Supreme Court held that this wasn't art but merchandise, and wasn't constitutionally protected: http://www.rcfp.org/news/2001/0502stooge.html> and http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=4311>
A number of states have specific rules regarding the protection of the right to publicity for persons, extending up to 70 years after death.
Max
Art, not merchandise:
http://www.ettinger.ca>