Artist Sues Photographer Over Credit for Iconic Queen Elizabeth II Portraits
A dispute over artistic credit has emerged regarding the widely recognized holographic portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, with artist Rob Munday filing a lawsuit against photographer Chris Levine alleging joint authorship of the works Equanimity and Lightness of Being.
The portraits, commissioned in 2003 and 2004 by the Jersey Heritage Trust to mark 800 years of allegiance to the English crown, have become some of the most iconic depictions of the late monarch and are held in the National Portrait Gallery. Munday, a holography expert since the early 1980s, claims his expertise was essential to their creation and that Levine has wrongly asserted sole artistic credit. “I’ve been going through this cycle for 20 years,” Munday stated, adding, “I’m not young any more; it felt like this had to be fought now or never.” He further asserts a 2005 settlement with the Jersey Heritage Trust acknowledged joint authorship.
Levine disputes these claims, maintaining he was solely commissioned as the artist and characterizing Munday as a “technical subcontractor.” “Mr Munday does not hold any copyright in Equanimity or Lightness of Being,” Levine said in a statement. “Any claim on my rights will be fiercely defended. This is my art.” This legal battle follows a separate case earlier this year, where the Jersey Heritage Trust sued Levine over breach of contract and unlicensed sales of the portraits; that case was settled out of court with a statement recognizing Levine as the sole artist but acknowledging Munday’s contributions as a holographer. The dispute over authorship highlights the complexities of crediting collaborative work in the art world, and could set a precedent for future cases.
Munday is seeking formal recognition as co-author and a public acknowledgment of the portraits’ joint creation. The case, filed in England’s High Court, is ongoing, and Levine has stated he will vigorously defend his position. You can learn more about the history of holographic art at the Royal Academy of Arts. The images themselves are a significant part of British cultural heritage, and their ownership and attribution remain a matter of legal debate.
