V prispevku so postavljeni temelji pravnega statusa ljubitelja umetnosti, ki je v pravni doktrini pogosto zanemarjen. Avtor poudarja vse večjo potrebo po pozitivni opredelitvi tega statusa, saj se ljubitelj z razvojem tehničnih ukrepov za zaščito avtorskih del, ki vse bolj ovirajo njegovo svobodno uživanje stvaritve, ter z nedavnimi spremembami avtorskopravnih zakonodaj po zgledu ameriškega DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), ki utrjujejo takšno stanje, čuti vse bolj ogroženega. Avtor tako zariše okvire, v katerih ljubitelj uživa popolno svobodo v uživanju stvaritve. Gre za pravno varovano območje svobode, katerega pravno varstvo ustreza splošnemu interesu, ki mora voditi zakonodajalca, poleg tega pa lahko svobodo uživanja stvaritve štejemo tudi med temeljne človekove pravice in svoboščine. Francoski izvrnik tega referata je bil junija 2006 predstavljen na seminarju »Lastnina in temeljne svoboščine«, ki je bil izveden v okviru programa »Lastninski modeli v 21. stoletju« na inštitutu CECOJI (Centre de COopération Juridique Internationale – UMR 6224 CNRS) Univerze v Poitiersu. Opombe niso del izvirnega besedila, temveč gre za opombe prevajalke. The author discusses the grounds of legal status of an amateur of art in the French legal system. Neglected in the past, this issue has recently achieved a primary importance, since the amateur of art has encountered the danger coming from the technical protection measures and the recent European legal reforms, that back up this factual state of control over amateur’s acts. The author relates the study of amateur's legal status to literary and artistic property.By a subtle analysis of French legal provisions concerning the author’s rights, this article demonstrates existence of an area in which amateur of art benefices total freedom of intellectual enjoyment of a work. As a matter of fact, amateur's legal status proceeds from the cultural interest that he shares with the author. This cultural interest is also a general interest and the fundamental pillar of the entire French author’s law. Therefore, it is in public interest that the law draws out the legal status of an amateur of art, which complements the author’s legal status. The author defines legal status of an amateur of art by reference to two series of legal provisions contained in the French Intellectual property code. These provisions regulate the amateur's legal status indirectly. The first series of provisions, protecting author's moral rights, guarantee the authenticity of a work. Even though, by defending the expression of his personality in the work, the creator is primarily pursuing his personal interest, he is de facto serving the general interest (and so the amateur’s interest), since the entire cultural interest actually resides in this expression of creator’s personality. Secondly, author refers to provisions that limit the scope of the exclusive exploitation right. Since the French author’s law defines the exploitation right as the right to communicate a work to the public, no authorisation is needed for an act that does not imply the communication to the public. Therefore, the mere access to the work, as well as succeeding accesses, is free. Furthermore, a private copying is free and cannot be restricted by exploitation rights. Moreover, on the basis of the French author’s law, communication in the family circle is also free. It can neither be limited by the author nor by the holder of the exploitation right.Finally, the author demonstrates that this scope of amateur’s liberty is not merely an open area that anyone could occupy, but a protected area. That is why the use of technical protection measures extends illegitimately the right to communicate a work to the public with the right to control the access to works. To defend this position, author further explains the source of amateur’s liberty: by an unilateral act of first divulgation, creator accords the amateur the right to access his work. On the other hand, amateur’s acts that do not imply the communication to the public can not be controlled by the holder of the exploitation right. In between, the amateur enjoys absolute freedom. A violation of this freedom is not only in contradiction with the fundamental principals of French author’s law, but could also result in a violation of the right to privacy. Author finally argues that this scope of amateur’s freedom should be respected by the legislator, as, in addition to the fact that this protection complies with the public interest, it bounds the legislator as a part of fundamental rights and liberties.