2023 in public domain
When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2023. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.
Countries with life + 70 years
[edit]With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years. The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator.
| Names | Country | Birth | Death | Occupation | Notable work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youssef Aftimus |  Lebanon
|
25 November 1866 | 10 September 1952 | Architect | Beirut City Hall |
| Betty Allan |  Australia
|
11 July 1905 | 6 August 1952 | Statistician | |
| August Alle |  Estonia
|
31 August 1890 | 8 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Paul Hastings Allen |  United States
|
28 November 1883 | 28 September 1952 | Composer | |
| Aziza Amir |  Egypt
|
17 December 1901 | 28 February 1952 | Screenwriter, actress | A Girl from Palestine |
| Charles Ancliffe |  United Kingdom
|
1880 | 20 December 1952 | Composer | |
| Céline Arnauld |  France
|
20 September 1885 | 23 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Yury Artsybushev |  Russia
|
28 March 1877 | 12 November 1952 | Painter | |
| Alice Austen | United States
|
17 March 1866 | 9 June 1952 | Photographer | |
| Frederic Austin | United Kingdom
|
30 March 1872 | 10 April 1952 | Composer, singer | List of compositions by Frederic Austin |
| Nat Ayer | United States
|
5 August 1887 | 19 September 1952 | Composer | The Bing Boys Are Here, Yes, Uncle! |
| Mariano Azuela |  Mexico
|
1 January 1873 | 1 March 1952 | Writer | The Underdogs |
| Adivi Baapiraju |  India
|
8 October 1895 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Ferdinand Bac | France
|
15 August 1859 | 18 November 1952 | Writer, artist | |
| Jimmy Bancks | Australia
|
10 May 1889 | 1 July 1952 | Cartoonist | Ginger Meggs |
| Bruno Barilli |  Italy
|
14 December 1880 | 15 April 1952 | Composer | |
| Antonieta de Barros |  Brazil
|
11 July 1901 | 28 March 1952 | Journalist, politician | |
| Rudolf Hans Bartsch |  Austria
|
11 February 1873 | 7 February 1952 | Writer | |
| Ioan A. Bassarabescu |  Romania
|
17 December 1870 | 27 March 1952 | Writer, politician | |
| Gaston Baty | France
|
26 May 1885 | 13 October 1952 | Playwright | |
| Nicolae Constantin Batzaria | Romania
|
20 November 1874 | 28 January 1952 | Writer, politician | |
| Nikolai Bayev |  Armenia
|
6 October 1875 | 5 August 1952 | Architect | Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater |
| John Hay Beith | United Kingdom
|
17 April 1876 | 22 September 1952 | Writer | Pip |
| Zeev Ben-Zvi |  Israel
|
1904 | 1952 | Sculptor | |
| David Bergelson |  Soviet Union
|
12 August 1884 | 12 August 1952 | Writer | |
| Joseph Berlin | Israel
|
1877 | 1952 | Architect | Lodzia House |
| Gino Boccasile | Italy
|
14 July 1901 | 10 May 1952 | Illustrator | |
| Waldemar Bonsels |  Germany
|
21 February 1880 | 31 July 1952 | Writer | Maya the Bee |
| Giuseppe Antonio Borgese | Italy
|
12 November 1882 | 4 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Henriëtte Bosmans |  Netherlands
|
6 December 1895 | 2 July 1952 | Composer | |
| Erma Bossi | Germany
|
9 June 1875 | 14 April 1952 | Painter | |
| Sergei Bortkiewicz |  Ukraine
|
28 February 1877 | 25 October 1952 | Composer | List of compositions by Sergei Bortkiewicz |
| Marjorie Bowen | United Kingdom
|
1 November 1885 | 23 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Bertram Bracken | United States
|
10 August 1879 | 1 November 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| E. J. Brady | Australia
|
7 August 1869 | 22 July 1952 | Journalist, poet | The Earthen Floor |
| Émile Bréhier | France
|
12 April 1876 | 3 February 1952 | Philosopher | |
| Margaret Wise Brown | United States
|
23 May 1910 | 13 November 1952 | Writer | Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny |
| Paul Bujor | Romania
|
2 August 1862 | 17 May 1952 | Biologist, writer | |
| Delfina Bunge |  Argentina
|
24 December 1881 | 30 March 1952 | Writer | |
| Adolf Busch | Germany
|
8 August 1891 | 9 June 1952 | Musician, composer | |
| Jack Caddigan | United States
|
21 September 1879 | 1 January 1952 | Lyricist | "The Rose of No Man's Land" |
| Brun Campbell | United States
|
26 March 1884 | 23 November 1952 | Composer | |
| Adolf Černý |  Czech Republic
|
19 August 1864 | 27 December 1952 | Poet | |
| Theo Champion | Germany
|
5 February 1887 | 20 September 1952 | Painter | |
| Wilfred Rowland Childe | United Kingdom
|
1890 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Howard Chandler Christy | United States
|
10 January 1872 | 3 March 1952 | Painter, illustrator | |
| Max Clarenbach | Germany
|
19 May 1880 | 9 July 1952 | Painter | |
| Frederick de Jersey Clere |  New Zealand
|
7 January 1856 | 13 August 1952 | Architect | St Mary of the Angels, Wellington |
| Marie Closset |  Belgium
|
16 August 1873 | 20 July 1952 | Poet | |
| Archie Frederick Collins | United States
|
8 January 1869 | 3 January 1952 | Inventor, writer | The Radio Amateur's Handbook |
| Jack Conway | United States
|
17 July 1887 | 11 October 1952 | Film director, actor | A Tale of Two Cities |
| Romain Coolus | France
|
25 May 1868 | 9 September 1952 | Playwright | |
| André Corthis | France
|
15 April 1882 | 8 August 1952 | Writer | |
| Annie Sophie Cory | United Kingdom
|
1 October 1868 | 2 August 1952 | Writer | Anna Lombard |
| Kathleen Coyle |  Ireland
|
23 October 1886 | 25 March 1952 | Writer | |
| Arthur Shearly Cripps | United Kingdom
|
10 June 1869 | 1 August 1952 | Writer, religious leader | |
| Benedetto Croce | Italy
|
25 February 1866 | 20 November 1952 | Philosopher, historian | Manifesto of the Anti-Fascist Intellectuals |
| Edward S. Curtis | United States
|
19 February 1868 | 19 October 1952 | Photographer, ethnologist | In the Land of the Head Hunters |
| Catherine Chisholm Cushing | United States
|
15 April 1874 | 19 October 1952 | Writer | |
| Sebastião da Gama |  Portugal
|
10 April 1924 | 7 February 1952 | Poet | |
| Surendranath Dasgupta | India
|
8 October 1887 | 18 December 1952 | Philosopher | |
| Jo Davidson | United States
|
30 March 1883 | 2 January 1952 | Sculptor | |
| Eugenio de Liguoro | Italy
|
15 March 1899 | 30 June 1952 | Film director, actor | |
| John Dewey | United States
|
20 October 1859 | 1 June 1952 | Philosopher | John Dewey bibliography |
| Mikhail Doller | Soviet Union
|
1889 | 15 March 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | The End of St. Petersburg |
| Norman Douglas | United Kingdom
|
8 December 1868 | 7 February 1952 | Writer | South Wind |
| Harvey Dunn | United States
|
8 March 1884 | 29 October 1952 | Painter | |
| Henry Edwards | United Kingdom
|
18 September 1882 | 2 November 1952 | Film director, actor | |
| Raymond B. Egan |  Canada
|
14 November 1890 | 13 October 1952 | Songwriter | "The Japanese Sandman" |
| Richard Eichberg | Germany
|
27 October 1888 | 8 May 1952 | Film director | The Tiger of Eschnapur, The Indian Tomb |
| Alfred Einstein | Germany
|
30 December 1880 | 13 February 1952 | Musicologist | |
| Otto Eis | Austria
|
19 March 1903 | 14 January 1952 | Screenwriter | |
| George Grant Elmslie | United States
|
20 February 1869 | 23 April 1952 | Architect | Harold C. Bradley House |
| Paul Éluard | France
|
14 December 1895 | 18 November 1952 | Poet | |
| Lydia Field Emmet | United States
|
23 January 1866 | 16 August 1952 | Painter | |
| Philip G. Epstein | United States
|
22 August 1909 | 7 February 1952 | Screenwriter | Casablanca |
| Lucien Fabre | France
|
14 February 1889 | 26 November 1952 | Writer | |
| Ludwig Fahrenkrog | Germany
|
20 October 1867 | 27 October 1952 | Painter | |
| Jeffery Farnol | United Kingdom
|
10 February 1878 | 9 August 1952 | Writer | The Broad Highway |
| Arthur Farwell | United States
|
23 March 1872 | 20 January 1952 | Composer | |
| Itzik Feffer | Soviet Union
|
10 September 1900 | 12 August 1952 | Poet | |
| Macedonio Fernández | Argentina
|
1 June 1874 | 10 February 1952 | Writer | The Museum of Eterna's Novel |
| John Flanagan | United States
|
4 April 1865 | 28 March 1952 | Sculptor | |
| Ernest Florman |  Sweden
|
20 September 1863 | 15 September 1952 | Film director | |
| Hugh Ford | United States
|
5 February 1868 | 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| Elena Fortún |  Spain
|
17 November 1886 | 8 May 1952 | Writer | Celia, lo que dice |
| Gilbert Frankau | United Kingdom
|
21 April 1884 | 4 November 1952 | Writer | |
| Charles K. French | United States
|
17 January 1860 | 2 August 1952 | Actor, film director, screenwriter | |
| Carl Friedemann | Germany
|
29 April 1862 | 9 April 1952 | Composer | "Kaiser Friedrich Marsch" |
| Svend Gade |  Denmark
|
1877 | 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| Leonhard Gall | Germany
|
24 August 1884 | 20 January 1952 | Architect | Führerbau |
| Sawai Gandharva | India
|
19 January 1886 | 12 September 1952 | Singer, teacher | |
| John Murray Gibbon | Canada
|
12 April 1875 | 2 July 1952 | Writer | Canadian Mosaic |
| C. P. H. Gilbert | United States
|
29 August 1861 | 25 October 1952 | Architect | |
| Charles Ginner | United Kingdom
|
4 March 1878 | 6 January 1952 | Painter | |
| Charles Buxton Going | United States
|
4 April 1863 | 1952 | Engineer, writer | |
| Percy Gray | United States
|
3 October 1869 | 10 October 1952 | Painter | |
| Sammy Gronemann | Germany
|
21 March 1875 | 6 March 1952 | Writer | |
| René Grousset | France
|
5 September 1885 | 12 September 1952 | Historian | The Empire of the Steppes |
| Ernst Haiger | Germany
|
10 June 1874 | 15 March 1952 | Architect | |
| Covington Hall | United States
|
25 August 1871 | 21 February 1952 | Activist, writer | |
| Halfdan M. Hanson |  Norway
|
30 November 1884 | 12 September 1952 | Architect | Our Lady of Good Voyage Church |
| Cicely Hamilton | United Kingdom
|
15 June 1872 | 6 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Gertrude Demain Hammond | United Kingdom
|
1862 | 21 July 1952 | Illustrator | |
| Knut Hamsun | Norway
|
4 August 1859 | 19 February 1952 | Writer, poet | Growth of the Soil |
| Hildegarde Hawthorne | United States
|
25 September 1871 | 10 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Sven Hedin | Sweden
|
19 February 1865 | 26 November 1952 | Geographer, travel writer | Through Asia Volume 1 |
| Aaro Hellaakoski |  Finland
|
22 June 1893 | 23 November 1952 | Poet | |
| Fletcher Henderson | United States
|
18 December 1897 | 29 December 1952 | Musician, composer | A Study in Frustration |
| Graily Hewitt | United Kingdom
|
1864 | 1952 | Calligrapher, writer | |
| Laura Coombs Hills | United States
|
7 September 1859 | 21 February 1952 | Artist | |
| David Hofstein | Soviet Union
|
12 June 1889 | 12 August 1952 | Poet | |
| Hilda Hongell | Finland
|
16 January 1867 | 10 June 1952 | Architect | |
| Curly Howard | United States
|
22 October 1903 | 18 January 1952 | Actor | |
| Felix Huch | United States
|
6 September 1880 | 6 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Billy Hughes | Australia
|
25 September 1862 | 28 October 1952 | Politician | |
| Myron Hunt | United States
|
27 February 1868 | 26 May 1952 | Architect | Bridges Hall of Music |
| Harold Innis | Canada
|
5 November 1894 | 9 November 1952 | Economist | |
| Horace Jackson | United States
|
29 March 1898 | 26 January 1952 | Screenwriter | |
| Frederick Jacobi | United States
|
4 May 1891 | 24 October 1952 | Composer | |
| Rashid Jahan | India
|
25 August 1905 | 29 July 1952 | Writer | Angarey |
| Alan James | United States
|
23 March 1890 | 30 December 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| Enrique Jardiel Poncela | Spain
|
15 October 1901 | 18 February 1952 | Writer, playwright | We Thieves Are Honourable |
| Harry Benjamin Jepson | United States
|
16 August 1870 | 23 August 1952 | Composer | |
| Frances Benjamin Johnston | United States
|
15 January 1864 | 16 May 1952 | Photographer | |
| Owen Johnson | United States
|
27 August 1878 | 27 January 1952 | Writer | Stover at Yale |
| Eugene Jolas | United States
|
26 October 1894 | 26 May 1952 | Writer | |
| Herbert Juttke | Germany
|
1897 | 1952 | Screenwriter | |
| David Kakabadze |  Georgia
|
20 August 1889 | 10 May 1952 | Painter | |
| Fabjan Kaliterna |  Croatia
|
20 January 1886 | 30 January 1952 | Architect | |
| Ariake Kambara |  Japan
|
15 March 1876 | 3 February 1952 | Writer | |
| Aleksandr Kamenskij | Russia
|
12 December 1900 | 7 November 1952 | Composer | |
| Artur Kapp | Estonia
|
28 February 1878 | 14 January 1952 | Composer | |
| Bernard Karfiol | United States
|
6 May 1886 | 16 August 1952 | Painter | |
| Otto Katz | Czech Republic
|
27 May 1895 | 3 December 1952 | Agent, writer | |
| Elizabeth Kenny | Australia
|
12 September 1880 | 30 November 1952 | Nurse, physical therapist | |
| Frederic G. Kenyon | United Kingdom
|
15 January 1863 | 23 August 1952 | Historian | |
| Rollin Kirby | United States
|
4 September 1875 | 8 May 1952 | Cartoonist | |
| Alexandra Kollontai | Russia
|
31 March 1872 | 9 March 1952 | Politician, writer | Red Love |
| Sadie Koninsky | United States
|
1872 | 2 January 1952 | Composer | |
| Kosugi Tengai | Japan
|
7 November 1865 | 1 September 1952 | Writer | |
| Vasyl Krychevsky | Ukraine
|
12 January 1873 | 15 November 1952 | Painter, architect | Coat of arms of Ukraine |
| Masao Kume | Japan
|
23 November 1891 | 1 March 1952 | Writer | |
| Leib Kvitko | Soviet Union
|
15 October 1890 | 12 August 1952 | Poet | |
| Gregory La Cava | United States
|
10 March 1892 | 1 March 1952 | Film director | My Man Godfrey |
| Max Laeuger | Germany
|
30 September 1864 | 12 December 1952 | Architect, ceramicist | |
| Alfred La Liberté | Canada
|
10 February 1882 | 7 May 1952 | Composer | |
| Karel Lamač | Czech Republic
|
27 January 1897 | 2 August 1952 | Film director | |
| William F. Lamb | United States
|
21 November 1883 | 8 September 1952 | Architect | Empire State Building |
| Rued Langgaard | Denmark
|
28 July 1893 | 10 July 1952 | Composer | Music of the Spheres |
| Carlos Alberto Leumann | Argentina
|
1886 | 1952 | Poet | |
| Heinrich Lilienfein | Germany
|
20 November 1879 | 20 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Yrjö Lindegren | Finland
|
13 August 1900 | 12 November 1952 | Architect | Helsinki Olympic Stadium |
| Percy Lindsay | Australia
|
17 September 1870 | 21 September 1952 | Painter | |
| Julie M. Lippmann | United States
|
1864 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Jessie Lipscomb | United Kingdom
|
13 June 1861 | 12 January 1952 | Sculptor | |
| William J. Long | United States
|
3 April 1867 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Ferdinand Lot | France
|
20 September 1866 | 20 July 1952 | Historian | |
| Andrés Luna de San Pedro |  Philippines
|
9 September 1887 | 22 January 1952 | Architect | First United Building |
| Desmond MacCarthy | United Kingdom
|
20 May 1877 | 7 June 1952 | Writer | |
| J. Farrell MacDonald | United States
|
6 June 1875 | 2 August 1952 | Film director, actor | |
| Edward Madden | United States
|
17 July 1878 | 11 March 1952 | Songwriter | |
| Mahjoor | India
|
1887 | 9 April 1952 | Poet | |
| Hakob Manandian | Armenia
|
10 November 1873 | 4 February 1952 | Historian | |
| Anna Margolin | United States
|
1887 | 1952 | Poet | |
| Peretz Markish | Soviet Union
|
7 December 1895 | 12 August 1952 | Poet | |
| Enrique González Martínez | Mexico
|
13 April 1871 | 19 February 1952 | Poet | |
| H. J. Massingham | United Kingdom
|
25 March 1888 | 22 August 1952 | Writer, poet | |
| Charles Maurras | France
|
20 April 1868 | 16 November 1952 | Writer | |
| Achille Mauzan | France
|
1883 | 1952 | Illustrator | |
| William Sutherland Maxwell | Canada
|
14 November 1874 | 25 March 1952 | Architect | Shrine of the Báb |
| J. P. McGowan | Australia
|
24 February 1880 | 26 March 1952 | Actor, film director | The Hazards of Helen, The Hurricane Express |
| E. H. W. Meyerstein | United Kingdom
|
11 August 1889 | 12 September 1952 | Writer, scholar | |
| Robert Minor | United States
|
15 July 1884 | 26 January 1952 | Cartoonist | |
| Mir-Jam |  Serbia
|
22 April 1887 | 22 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Ferenc Molnár |  Hungary
|
12 January 1878 | 1 April 1952 | Writer, playwright | The Paul Street Boys, Liliom |
| Montéhus | France
|
9 July 1872 | 1952 | Songwriter | |
| Italo Montemezzi | Italy
|
4 August 1875 | 15 May 1952 | Composer | L'amore dei tre re |
| Maria Montessori | Italy
|
31 August 1870 | 6 May 1952 | Educator | |
| Irving Morrow | United States
|
22 September 1884 | 28 October 1952 | Architect | Golden Gate Bridge |
| Lodewijk Mortelmans | Belgium
|
5 February 1868 | 24 June 1952 | Composer | |
| Willy Mullens | Netherlands
|
4 October 1880 | 21 April 1952 | Film director | |
| Keith Murdoch | Australia
|
12 August 1885 | 4 October 1952 | Journalist | |
| Matija Murko |  Slovenia
|
10 February 1861 | 11 February 1952 | Literary historian | |
| Herbert Murrill | United Kingdom
|
11 May 1909 | 25 July 1952 | Composer | |
| Bangalore Nagarathnamma | India
|
3 November 1878 | 19 May 1952 | Singer, writer | |
| Ghulam Bhik Nairang |  Pakistan
|
26 September 1876 | 16 October 1952 | Poet, politician | |
| Shinpei Nakayama | Japan
|
22 March 1887 | 30 December 1952 | Songwriter | "Katyusha's song" |
| Alfred Neumann | Germany
|
15 October 1895 | 3 October 1952 | Writer | |
| John O'Brien | Australia
|
13 October 1878 | 27 December 1952 | Priest, poet | "Said Hanrahan" |
| Ivan Olbracht | Czech Republic
|
6 January 1882 | 20 December 1952 | Writer | Nikola Šuhaj loupežník |
| Herbert Arnould Olivier | United Kingdom
|
9 September 1861 | 2 March 1952 | Painter | |
| Paul Ondrusch | Germany
|
4 June 1875 | 29 September 1952 | Sculptor | |
| Joseph O'Neill | Ireland
|
1886 | 6 May 1952 | Writer | |
| Vittorio Emanuele Orlando | Italy
|
19 May 1860 | 1 December 1952 | Politician | |
| Henry Otto | United States
|
8 August 1877 | 3 August 1952 | Film director, actor | |
| Fulton Oursler | United States
|
22 January 1893 | 24 May 1952 | Writer | The Greatest Story Ever Told |
| Russell Owen | United States
|
8 January 1889 | 3 April 1952 | Journalist | South of the Sun |
| Frances Theodora Parsons | United States
|
5 December 1861 | 10 June 1952 | Naturalist, writer | |
| Jack Parsons | United States
|
2 October 1914 | 17 June 1952 | Engineer, occultist | |
| Teixeira de Pascoaes | Portugal
|
2 November 1877 | 14 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Raymond Pech | France
|
4 February 1876 | 3 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Constant Permeke | Belgium
|
31 July 1886 | 4 January 1952 | Painter, sculptor | |
| Eva Perón | Argentina
|
7 May 1919 | 26 July 1952 | Politician, actress | La razón de mi vida |
| Paul Pierné | France
|
30 June 1874 | 24 March 1952 | Composer | |
| Ladislaus Pilars de Pilar |  Poland
|
3 March 1874 | 22 November 1952 | Poet | |
| Arthur Pink | United Kingdom
|
1 April 1886 | 15 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Charles Plisnier | Belgium
|
13 December 1896 | 17 July 1952 | Writer | Faux passeports |
| Pedro Prado |  Chile
|
8 October 1886 | 31 January 1952 | Writer | |
| Chilukuri Narayana Rao | India
|
1890 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Hugo Raudsepp | Estonia
|
13 December 1896 | 17 July 1952 | Writer, politician | |
| Karl Ludvig Reichelt | Norway
|
1 September 1877 | 13 March 1952 | Writer | |
| Elizabeth Robins | United States
|
6 August 1862 | 8 May 1952 | Writer | |
| Lou Rogers | United States
|
26 November 1879 | 11 March 1952 | Cartoonist | |
| Henriette Roland Holst | Netherlands
|
24 December 1869 | 21 November 1952 | Poet | |
| A. S. W. Rosenbach | United States
|
22 July 1876 | 1 July 1952 | Collector, writer | |
| William Roughead | United Kingdom
|
1870 | 1952 | Writer, lawyer | |
| Joan Rubió | Spain
|
24 April 1870 | 30 November 1952 | Architect | |
| Edwin L. Sabin | United States
|
23 December 1870 | 24 November 1952 | Writer | |
| Wadia Sabra | Lebanon
|
23 February 1876 | 11 April 1952 | Composer | |
| Olaf Saile | Germany
|
27 August 1901 | 29 June 1952 | Writer | |
| George Santayana | Spain
|
16 December 1863 | 26 September 1952 | Philosopher, writer | The Life of Reason |
| Garimella Satyanarayana | India
|
14 July 1893 | 18 December 1952 | Poet | |
| Fred Sauer | Austria
|
14 December 1886 | 17 September 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| Jurgis Savickis |  Lithuania
|
4 May 1890 | 22 December 1952 | Writer | |
| Alberto Savinio | Italy
|
25 August 1891 | 5 May 1952 | Writer, composer | |
| Wilhelm Schäfer | Germany
|
20 January 1868 | 19 January 1952 | Writer | |
| Laurence Dwight Smith | United States
|
1895 | 1952 | Writer | |
| Georg Schumann | Germany
|
25 October 1866 | 23 May 1952 | Composer | |
| Vincent Scotto | France
|
21 April 1874 | 15 November 1952 | Composer | |
| Philip Walsingham Sergeant | United Kingdom
|
27 January 1872 | 20 October 1952 | Writer | Modern Chess Openings |
| Franz Seitz Sr. | Germany
|
14 April 1887 | 7 March 1952 | Film director, screenwriter | |
| Carlo Sforza | Italy
|
24 January 1872 | 4 September 1952 | Politician | |
| Ilya Shatrov | Russia
|
1 April 1879 | 2 May 1952 | Composer | "On the Hills of Manchuria" |
| Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik | Russia
|
24 January 1874 | 27 July 1952 | Writer, translator | |
| Vladimir Shcherbachov | Soviet Union
|
24 January 1889 | 5 March 1952 | Composer | |
| Maria Shkapskaya | Soviet Union
|
15 October 1891 | 7 September 1952 | Writer | |
| Rudolf Sieczyński | Austria
|
23 February 1879 | 5 May 1952 | Composer | "Vienna, City of My Dreams" |
| Renato Simoni | Italy
|
5 September 1875 | 5 July 1952 | Playwright | Turandot |
| Christopher Arthur Smith | Australia
|
19 November 1892 | 2 March 1952 | Architect | Capri Theatre, Peterborough Town Hall |
| Leo Smith | United Kingdom
|
26 November 1881 | 18 April 1952 | Composer | |
| Herman Sörgel | Germany
|
2 April 1885 | 25 December 1952 | Architect | |
| Niles Spencer | United States
|
16 May 1893 | 15 May 1952 | Painter | |
| Jaap Speyer | Netherlands
|
1891 | 1952 | Film director | |
| Fráňa Šrámek | Czech Republic
|
19 January 1877 | 1 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Malcolm St. Clair | United States
|
17 May 1897 | 1 June 1952 | Film director | |
| Władysław Strzemiński | Poland
|
21 November 1893 | 26 December 1952 | Painter | |
| Gusztáv Szerémi | Hungary
|
9 May 1877 | 16 August 1952 | Composer | |
| Ray Taylor | United States
|
1 December 1888 | 15 February 1952 | Film director | |
| Giovanni Tebaldini | Italy
|
7 September 1864 | 11 May 1952 | Composer | |
| Teffi | Russia
|
21 May 1872 | 6 October 1952 | Writer | |
| Josephine Tey | United Kingdom
|
25 July 1896 | 13 February 1952 | Writer | The Daughter of Time |
| Jean Tharaud | France
|
9 May 1877 | 8 April 1952 | Writer | |
| Anna-Lisa Thomson | Sweden
|
20 September 1905 | 12 February 1952 | Ceramist | |
| Henriette Tirman | France
|
1875 | 30 October 1952 | Painter | |
| John Treloar | Australia
|
10 December 1894 | 28 January 1952 | Museum administrator | |
| Lamar Trotti | United States
|
18 October 1900 | 28 August 1952 | Screenwriter | |
| Josef Thorak | Austria
|
7 February 1889 | 26 February 1952 | Sculptor | |
| Uncle Dave Macon | United States
|
7 October 1870 | 22 March 1952 | Singer-songwriter | |
| Fartein Valen | Norway
|
25 August 1887 | 14 December 1952 | Composer | |
| Antonio María Valencia |  Colombia
|
10 November 1902 | 22 July 1952 | Composer | |
| Lodewijk van Deyssel | Netherlands
|
22 September 1864 | 26 January 1952 | Writer | |
| Johan van Hell | Netherlands
|
28 February 1889 | 31 December 1952 | Artist | |
| Louis Valtat | France
|
8 August 1869 | 2 January 1952 | Painter | |
| Louis Verneuil | France
|
14 May 1893 | 3 November 1952 | Playwright | |
| Clara Viebig | Germany
|
17 July 1860 | 31 July 1952 | Writer | |
| Roger Vitrac | France
|
17 November 1899 | 22 January 1952 | Playwright, poet | |
| Ellen Roosval von Hallwyl | Sweden
|
1867 | 1952 | Artist | |
| Karl Wach | Germany
|
7 January 1878 | 21 June 1952 | Architect | |
| Lars Israel Wahlman | Sweden
|
17 April 1870 | 18 September 1952 | Architect | Tjolöholm Castle |
| H. T. Webster | United States
|
21 September 1885 | 22 September 1952 | Cartoonist | Caspar Milquetoast |
| Adolph Alexander Weinman | United States
|
11 December 1870 | 8 August 1952 | Sculptor | Walking Liberty half dollar, Mercury dime |
| Percy Wenrich | United States
|
21 September 1885 | 22 September 1952 | Composer | "Sail Along, Silv'ry Moon" |
| Roland West | United States
|
20 February 1885 | 31 March 1952 | Film director | |
| Alberto Williams | Argentina
|
23 November 1862 | 17 June 1952 | Composer | Poema del Iguazú |
| Hans Wittwer |  Switzerland
|
4 February 1894 | 19 March 1952 | Architect | ADGB Trade Union School |
| Paramahansa Yogananda | India
|
5 January 1893 | 7 March 1952 | Yogi, writer | Autobiography of a Yogi |
| Ellsworth Young | United States
|
1866 | 1952 | Artist | |
| Ernst Zahn | Switzerland
|
24 January 1867 | 12 February 1952 | Writer | Frau Sixta |
| Lee Woodward Zeigler | United States
|
7 May 1868 | 16 June 1952 | Illustrator |
Countries with life + 60 years
[edit]In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.
| Names | Country | Birth | Death | Occupation | Notable work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enriqueta Arvelo Larriva |  Venezuela
|
22 March 1886 | 10 December 1962 | Poet | |
| Paul David Devanandan | India
|
8 July 1901 | 10 August 1962 | Theologian | |
| A. K. Fazlul Huq |  Bangladesh
|
26 October 1873 | 27 April 1962 | Politician, writer | |
| Vilayat Hussain Khan | India
|
1895 | 1962 | Singer, composer | |
| M. Visvesvaraya | India
|
15 September 1861 | 14 April 1962 | Civil engineer |
Countries with life + 50 years
[edit]In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay, a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.
| Names | Country | Birth | Death | Occupation | Notable work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatin Abdel Wahab | Egypt
|
22 November 1913 | 12 May 1972 | Film director | |
| Fernando Amorsolo | Philippines
|
30 May 1892 | 24 April 1972 | Painter | |
| James K. Baxter | New Zealand
|
29 June 1926 | 22 October 1972 | Writer | Beyond the Palisade |
| Gabriel Cusson | Canada
|
2 April 1903 | 18 April 1972 | Composer | |
| Laurence Bradford Dakin | Canada
|
1904 | 1972 | Writer | |
| Dulcie Deamer | New Zealand
|
13 December 1890 | 16 August 1972 | Writer | |
| Eileen Duggan | New Zealand
|
21 May 1894 | 10 December 1972 | Poet, journalist | |
| Huguette Gaulin | Canada
|
1944 | 6 June 1972 | Writer | |
| Chang Hsin-hai |  China
|
25 June 1898 | 6 December 1972 | Writer | |
| John T. Kenney | United Kingdom
|
16 May 1911 | 27 November 1972 | Illustrator | The Railway Series |
| A. M. Klein | Canada
|
14 February 1909 | 20 August 1972 | Poet | The Second Scroll |
| Norman L. Knight | United States
|
21 September 1895 | 19 April 1972 | SF author | A Torrent of Faces |
| Laurence Manning | Canada
|
20 July 1899 | 10 April 1972 | Writer | The Man Who Awoke |
| Liang Sicheng | China
|
20 April 1901 | 9 January 1972 | Architect | |
| Edward McCourt | Canada
|
10 October 1907 | 6 January 1972 | Writer | |
| Watchman Nee | China
|
4 November 1903 | 30 May 1972 | Church leader | The Normal Christian Life |
| Ronald Hugh Morrieson | New Zealand
|
29 January 1922 | 26 December 1972 | Writer | Came A Hot Friday, The Scarecrow |
| John Pascoe | New Zealand
|
26 September 1908 | 20 October 1972 | Mountaineer, writer | Unclimbed New Zealand |
| John Reid | New Zealand
|
4 January 1916 | 31 May 1972 | Writer, academic | |
| Bertrand William Sinclair | Canada
|
9 January 1908 | 20 October 1972 | Writer | The Inverted Pyramid |
| Kamel el-Telmissany | Egypt
|
15 May 1915 | 1 March 1972 | Film director | |
| Ramón Valera | Philippines
|
31 August 1912 | 25 May 1972 | Fashion designer | |
| Ismail Yassin | Egypt
|
15 September 1912 | 24 May 1972 | Actor |
Countries with life + 80 years
[edit]Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. In Colombia and Equatorial Guinea a work enters the public domain 80 years after the creator's death.
| Names | Country | Birth | Death | Occupation | Notable work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Belyaev | Soviet Union
|
4 March 1884 | 6 January 1942 | Science fiction author | Professor Dowell's Head |
| Ernest Bramah | United Kingdom
|
20 March 1868 | 27 June 1942 | Author | |
| Gaspar Camps | Spain
|
29 December 1874 | 11 April 1942 | Painter, illustrator | |
| Luisa Casagemas | Spain
|
13 December 1873 | 1942 | Composer | |
| Nictzin Dyalhis | United States
|
4 June 1873 | 8 May 1942 | Chemist and short story writer | |
| Miguel Hernández | Spain
|
30 October 1910 | 28 March 1942 | Poet, playwright | |
| Pablo Luna | Spain
|
21 May 1879 | 28 January 1942 | Composer | |
| Joan Montseny | Spain
|
1864 | 1942 | Writer | |
| Edwin Vincent Odle | United States
|
1890 | 21 February 1942 | Author | |
| Joan Peiró | Spain
|
18 February 1887 | 24 July 1942 | Writer | |
| Irene Polo | Spain
|
27 November 1909 | 3 April 1942 | Journalist | |
| Anthony M. Rud | United States
|
11 January 1893 | 30 November 1942 | Author | |
| Bruno Schulz | Poland
|
12 July 1892 | 19 November 1942 | Author and artist | The Street of Crocodiles |
Australia and Canada
[edit]In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with the United States and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which bought some e.g. British authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors will come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).[1]
Similarly, Canada amended its Copyright Act in 2022 from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, coming into force on December 30, 2022, but does not revive expired copyright.[2][3] No more new Canadian authors will come out of copyright until 1 January 2043 (those who died in 1972).
United States
[edit]
Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1927, films released in 1927, and other works published in 1927, entered the public domain in 2023.[4]
Unpublished works whose authors died in 1952 entered the public domain.
Notable films entering the public domain in the United States include Metropolis,[5] the first feature talkie The Jazz Singer, the first Academy Award for Best Picture winner Wings, the lost film London After Midnight, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Napoléon, Alfred Hitchcock's first thriller The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, and the Clara Bow star vehicle It.[5]
Notable books that entered the public domain in the United States include Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse, The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder, Show Boat by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern, and the original versions of the first three books of The Hardy Boys.[5]
The last two short stories in the Canon of Sherlock Holmes, written by Arthur Conan Doyle and subject to a copyright dispute by his estate, and H. Rider Haggard's final book about Allan Quatermain, Allan and the Ice-gods, entered the public domain in 2023.[5][6]
Miscellaneous
[edit]In September 2023, comic book writer Bill Willingham attempted to release the Fables intellectual property into the public domain,[7] publisher DC Comics continues to claim ownership of the franchise and an intent to enforce its copyright, but has not attempted legal action against Willingham or any unauthorised uses of Fables since.[8][9]
See also
[edit]- 1952 in literature and 1972 in literature for deaths of writers
- Public Domain Day
- Creative Commons
References
[edit]- ^ "How long does copyright last?". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures". Parliament of Canada. 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "PC Number: 2022-1219". Government of Canada. 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
- ^ a b c d "Public Domain Day 2023". Duke University School of Law. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "Film & Television Licensing". Official Website of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Family Estate. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ Wood, Robert (2023-09-14). ""I Can't Afford to Sue DC": Fables Creator Releases Hit Comic Series into Public Domain (Including Wolf Among Us)". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ https://www.engadget.com/creator-of-the-wolf-among-us-universe-releases-it-to-public-domain-130010929.html?guccounter=1
- ^ https://wjlta.com/2024/02/28/fables-free-for-all-or-owned-by-one/
External links
[edit]
Media related to Public Domain Day 2023 at Wikimedia Commons- "Authors by Year of Death - 1952". AuthorAndBookInfo.com.
- Popular Books of 1927 at Goodreads
