Hello,
2011/3/23 Ashwin Baindur ashwin.baindur@gmail.com:
Dear Sankar, I have read the discussion here : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Deletion_requests/File:Mahasaraswa... and the http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Freedom_of_panorama#India and the threads on the Wikimedia-I list. I am not qualified to comment but here goes. I think rather than look to Wikipedia to change its policy, we must take the trouble to gather some kind of proof. Perhaps the best way is the way suggested by you - the Public Trust route, i.e.
- Prove that temple is public trust, and work in public place of art
- statement from trust that said painting has been in their ownership
earlier than 1950
- supported (if possible) by proof such as :
** stock register where the item is taken on charge ** record of payment to the artist ** affidavit from someone who has been associated over 60 years with the temple that image is over 60 years old
It is totally insane to require users to do this in order to publish a photo on Commons. Commons needs to assume good faith from editors.
Regards,
Yann
** mention in some old book, etc ** sometimes old timers who visit the temple regularly remember details and we can contact the artist (especially if its recent). He may release it into public domain/under free license. These could be sent as an OTRS so that the image is accepted. Alternative (?) - get an artist to make a similar work & release it under CC3.0 BYSA. I dont know if this is helpful but for important images such as these, we may need to take great efforts equivalent to the efforts for a hundred other images otherwise. BTW, I think we need an article on this temple too. Sincerely, Ashwin Baindur