Legal information
These Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service govern the provision of the ARTsynonyme service, operated by Thierry Lange, a sole trader using the trading name iMultimedia, hereinafter “the Platform”, to its artist, gallery and buyer users.
ARTsynonyme is a digital platform that connects artists, galleries and art collectors. It allows artists and galleries to present their artworks and communicate with potential buyers, and allows buyers to discover artists and contact them directly. ARTsynonyme does not sell any artwork in its own name and does not process any payment relating to the sale of an artwork; see Article 8.
Use of the Platform implies full and complete acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service.
Registration with ARTsynonyme is open to legally capable adults and to legal entities acting through a duly authorised representative. A minor may create and use an account only with the prior permission of their legal representative, who remains responsible for their use of the service. Artist accounts follow the approval arrangements described in Article 4.4.
The user must provide accurate and complete information when registering and undertakes to update it if it changes.
The user is responsible for keeping their login details confidential. Any use of the account is presumed to have been made by the account holder.
Artist accounts are open to everyone through the public registration form. The account and its private showcase are created immediately, then remain unavailable to the public until they are approved by the administration.
The artist submits at least three valid photos of their work. These allow the administration to verify the artistic nature of the registration and prevent attempted fraud or abusive use of the Platform. The artist is informed by email as soon as their showcase is approved.
The Platform provides a space for presentation, discovery and introductions. It neither collects the price of an artwork nor handles its delivery.
The artist is solely responsible for the content they publish. They guarantee that they hold all intellectual property rights in the offered artworks and undertake to provide faithful photographs and descriptions.
The artist or gallery freely sets the displayed price of their artworks. Prices are shown in euros. Where a professional seller is subject to VAT, the price shown to a consumer must include all applicable taxes. A sale by a private individual is not presented as subject to VAT. The final price and any transport costs are confirmed directly between the seller and buyer before either party makes a commitment.
ARTsynonyme is a service that connects artists, galleries and collectors. The Platform takes no part in any transaction relating to the sale of an artwork: it does not take part in negotiating the price, collecting or transferring payment, or delivering or handing over the artwork. If a sale contract is concluded, it is exclusively between the artist or gallery and the buyer, outside the Platform, generally following discussions through messaging.
ARTsynonyme is neither seller, buyer, agent nor payment intermediary within the meaning of the French Monetary and Financial Code. The showcase website collects no payment.
ARTsynonyme does not verify users’ identities beyond validating their email address during registration and does not guarantee the authenticity of artworks or the solvency or good faith of users. Each user must exercise ordinary caution before concluding a transaction with someone met on the Platform; also see Article 4.4 of the Terms of Use.
The artist undertakes to remove any unavailable artwork from the Platform as soon as possible.
When an artwork is marked as available for rent, a collector may submit a rental request from their cart. The artist or gallery remains free to accept or refuse the request. The parties agree directly on the duration, rent payments, security deposit, insurance, transport, joint condition report and return of the artwork. ARTsynonyme collects neither rent nor security deposits and is not a party to the rental agreement.
Unless the parties agree otherwise, a rented artwork remains offered for sale. If a third party expresses an intention to purchase during the rental period, the renter is informed and has a priority period of 48 hours in which to express an intention to buy. If the renter does not respond within that period, the first outside buyer’s request may be considered as a priority.
If the renter purchases the artwork, rent payments confirmed by the artist or gallery are deducted in full from the sale price agreed at the start of the rental, up to the amount of that price. The security deposit and transport, insurance and restoration costs are not rent and are not deducted. Final conclusion of the sale and its terms remain subject to the parties’ direct agreement.
ARTsynonyme charges no commission and processes no payment relating to artworks presented on the website.
This absence of ARTsynonyme commission applies both to direct sales by artists and to sales by a gallery on behalf of the artists it represents on the Platform. It neither affects nor replaces representation agreements, mandates or commissions concluded outside the Platform between an artist and gallery, which remain the sole responsibility of the parties concerned.
The price of an artwork agreed between an artist and buyer is paid directly between them, using their chosen method, outside the Platform. ARTsynonyme strongly recommends using secure payment methods and remaining alert to attempted fraud; see Article 4.4 of the Terms of Use.
The seller provides any instructions directly; this exchange of information does not constitute collection of payment by ARTsynonyme.
Delivery or handover of an artwork is arranged exclusively between the artist and buyer. ARTsynonyme does not take part and provides no tracking. For guidance:
The artist is responsible for packaging and shipping the artwork within the timescale agreed with the buyer. They undertake to protect the artwork correctly to prevent damage in transit.
Shipping costs are payable by the buyer unless otherwise stated and are agreed directly between the parties.
Shipping timescales are agreed between the artist and buyer without any monitoring by the Platform.
As the Platform is not a party to artwork sales between users, it neither receives nor administers withdrawal requests relating to those transactions.
Where a professional seller concludes a distance sale with a consumer, that seller must provide the mandatory pre-contractual information and comply with the withdrawal right laid down by consumer law, unless a statutory exception applies. A sale between two private individuals does not benefit from the statutory withdrawal right governing distance contracts between a professional and a consumer. The seller's private or professional status and the applicable statutory rights cannot be altered by a contrary agreement between the parties.
Presented artworks must conform to the descriptions and photographs published by the seller. In the event of non-conformity, the buyer must exercise their remedies directly against the seller. A seller acting in a professional capacity in relation to a consumer remains bound by the applicable statutory guarantees. As ARTsynonyme is not a party to the sale contract, it can neither impose nor guarantee the solution agreed between the parties.
The statutory warranty against hidden defects under Articles 1641 et seq. of the French Civil Code applies, where relevant, to the direct relationship between the artist-seller and buyer.
As ARTsynonyme neither holds nor transfers funds relating to the sale of an artwork, it cannot suspend or retain payment in a dispute. Users may use the reporting system to notify ARTsynonyme of suspicious behaviour or a dispute. On this basis, ARTsynonyme may suspend a user’s account under Article 15.
ARTsynonyme acts as a technical intermediary that facilitates contact between artists and buyers. The Platform is neither seller nor buyer of the artworks. The sale contract is concluded directly between the artist and buyer.
ARTsynonyme uses reasonable means to ensure that the Platform operates correctly. Subject to mandatory law and except where a proven fault is directly attributable to it, ARTsynonyme cannot be held liable for:
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where it cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including in the event of fraud, gross negligence, personal injury or breach of a mandatory statutory duty.
Under French Act no. 2004-575 of 21 June 2004 on confidence in the digital economy (LCEN), ARTsynonyme acts as hosting provider for content published by users, including listings and messages, and removes or makes inaccessible any manifestly unlawful content as soon as it becomes aware of it through the reporting system.
The artist is responsible for:
The buyer is responsible for:
All elements of the Platform, including its structure, design, text, graphics and software, are protected by copyright, trademark and database rights. Reproduction, even in part, is prohibited without prior permission.
Artists retain all copyright in their artworks. By publishing on ARTsynonyme, they grant the Platform a free, non-exclusive, worldwide licence to reproduce and communicate the photographs and descriptions for the operation and promotion of the Platform itself, including artwork pages, profiles, the catalogue and search engine.
Beyond that use on the Platform, promotional distribution of an artwork’s images on ARTsynonyme’s social networks, in a presentation of the artist or in a commercial offer from ARTsynonyme requires the artist’s or gallery’s prior explicit consent through the “Consent” checkbox in their profile. This optional consent may be withdrawn at any time.
It is prohibited to publish content that is infringing, defamatory, insulting, violent, pornographic or indecent. ARTsynonyme reserves the right to delete any unlawful content without notice.
Personal data is processed in accordance with the GDPR. For more information, read our Privacy Policy.
Users undertake to:
If these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service are breached, ARTsynonyme may, after a formal notice remains without effect:
The contract is concluded for an indefinite period from registration.
The user may close their account at any time from their personal area. Closure takes effect immediately.
ARTsynonyme may terminate a user’s account for a serious breach of these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service after a formal notice remains without effect for 15 days.
ARTsynonyme may amend these Terms to reflect changes to the service, regulation or security. Users are informed on a durable medium, by email or a notification on the Platform, before a material change takes effect. Changes required by law or necessary to prevent an immediate risk may take effect without delay. Changes do not apply retrospectively. A user who does not accept a change may close their account before it takes effect.
After first submitting a written complaint to ARTsynonyme and failing to reach an amicable solution, a consumer may refer free of charge to the consumer mediator appointed by ARTsynonyme any dispute arising from the service contract concluded with the Platform. This mediation does not cover a sale or rental concluded directly between users, which falls, where relevant, within the remit of the mediator appointed by the professional seller or lessor concerned.
Consumer mediator: Centre de la Médiation de la Consommation de Conciliateurs de Justice (CM2C)
These Terms are governed by French law, without depriving a consumer resident in another country of the mandatory protections granted by the law of their place of residence. If an amicable solution cannot be reached, the dispute is brought before the court having jurisdiction under the ordinary rules of law. Nothing in these Terms limits a consumer's right to bring proceedings before a court having jurisdiction under the rules applicable to them.
If one or more provisions of these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service are held to be invalid under a law or regulation or following a final decision of a court with jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
ARTsynonyme’s failure to rely on a user’s breach of any obligation under these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service cannot be interpreted as a waiver of its right to rely on that breach at a later date.
These Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service constitute the entire agreement between ARTsynonyme and the user concerning use of the Platform and supersede any previous agreement.
If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service:
Last updated: 14 September 2026