Terms of Service

1. Acceptance

By using this website or submitting an inquiry to the National Portrait Service ("the Service"), you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use this website or submit personal information to the Service.

2. Nature of the Service

The National Portrait Service commissions formal hand-painted portraits and maintains a permanent archive record of each commission. The Service does not operate as a gallery, auction house, print shop, or commercial art retailer. All commissions result in original oil paintings on canvas.

The physical portrait is the property of the client upon delivery. The archive record is maintained by the Service in perpetuity.

3. Inquiries and Commissions

Submitting an inquiry through this website does not constitute a binding commission. A commission is formally established only when the Service issues an authorization code on official letterhead and the client confirms acceptance. At that point, the terms of the commission as documented in the intake record govern the engagement.

The Service reserves the right to decline any inquiry at its discretion without explanation.

4. Authorization Codes

Authorization codes are issued to specific clients for specific commissions. They are not transferable. Misuse of an authorization code — including use by any party other than the intended recipient — may result in cancellation of the commission without refund of any fees paid.

5. Reference Photographs

By submitting photographs through this website or by email, you confirm that you have the right to share those photographs for the stated purpose of portrait production. You grant the Service a limited, non-exclusive right to use those photographs solely for the purpose of producing your commissioned portrait.

The Service will not reproduce, publish, exhibit, or otherwise use submitted photographs for any other purpose without your written consent.

6. Production Timelines

Timelines stated by the Service are estimates only. The Service does not guarantee delivery by any specific date. Commissions are completed when they are ready; the quality of the work takes precedence over delivery speed. The Service will communicate with you if a commission is expected to take significantly longer than initially estimated.

7. Ownership

The client owns the physical portrait upon delivery. The Service retains the right to maintain the archive record and to display general information from that record (portrait type, medium, year, record number) in the public archive, without disclosing identifying client information unless consent has been given.

Copyright in the portrait as a creative work is owned by the artist. The client receives an original work and may display it freely in private settings. Reproduction rights should be discussed with the Service if required.

8. Limitation of Liability

The Service's liability in connection with any commission is limited to the value of the commission itself. The Service is not liable for incidental, consequential, or punitive damages. In all cases, the Service's liability does not exceed the amount paid by the client for the specific commission at issue.

9. Website Use

This website is provided for informational purposes and to facilitate commission inquiries. The Service makes no warranty that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of security vulnerabilities. Use of this website is at your own risk.

Content on this website — including text, images, and design — is the property of the National Portrait Service and may not be reproduced without written permission.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States. Any dispute arising from these Terms or from the commission process shall be resolved through good-faith correspondence with the Registrar's Office in the first instance.

11. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be directed to the National Portrait Service Registrar's Office:

• Email: concierge@nationalportraitservice.com
• Telephone: (866) 805-PORTRAIT