Which rights does the owner of a work I created possess?
There is an important distinction between copyright and ownership rights. When a company buys a painting, that company gains ownership of the canvas, paint and frame. The copyright, however, remains with the creator. The company may decide where the painting is displayed, but the artist may decide whether the painting is shown on the cover of a book. For example, if the company wants to put an image of the purchased painting on its New Year's card, it will first have to seek permission from the artist.
However, the owner may exhibit a work or offer it for sale without asking. The work may be printed to announce this, provided the use is necessary for the public exhibition or sale and that no other commercial interest is served. An example is the depiction of a work of art in a sales catalog. The work may be reproduced in it for informative purposes, but not so large that it serves primarily as decoration.