ATRIPS Logo and its Creator

By Per Jonas Nordell

It all started when I studied Latin at high school. We had a text book going out from authentic texts. One of them was by Pliny the Younger about an elderly aristocrat in ancient Rome by the name of Spurinna. Obviously, they were close friends, and Pliny admired Spurinna as a man who could live his life with dignity: “Otium cum dignitate”.[1]

Translating texts going some 2000 years back in time is a challenge. It may give some peculiar and puzzling results. That is the case firstly as traditional lexica do not have the capability to capture all nuances needed to a proper translation as they usually go out from a selection of ancient texts. Secondly, it is not so easy for us to understand the daily life in a society that far back in time.

Coming through the first attempt of translation, it gave me some pictures in my mind. Later on, there was some kind of competition in a Swedish newspaper asking for young comic strip creators. Hence, I and some of my friends considered a comic strip of the day of Spurinna. It was drawn by me. Not surprisingly, it was refused.

In 1990, I got a position as research assistant to professor Gunnar Karnell at the Stockholm School of Economics. One reason for this position was that he had been President Elect for the ATRIP and needed some administrative support. Humbly, I asked him if there were no need for some kind of sign or logotype for the ATRIP, or at least for our coming conference in Stockholm. The answer was immediate and clear: “Please, com with some ideas!” As I at that time was occupied with lots of duties, I simply recycled the Spurinna theme from the refused comic strip project. It was directly accepted by Gunnar Karnell. In some way he could directly identify the presented picture as the “creator”, totally irrespective of time, place, or modus of creativity. Shortly thereafter, it was accepted by the Board of ATRIP. Indeed, I was – and still today is – most honoured about its so long life.

Below, I would like to present the version which later on has been altered back from the Swedish text into the original Latin version. Unfortunately, the original master has got lost, so this published copy will not be in its best and original quality. In connection to that, I will give an attempt to translate it into English in the way that it occurs using traditional lexica in the way that is related to above:

* LL.B. at Stockholm university Faculty of Law in 1990. Research assistant in intellectual property law at Stockholm School of Economics 1990–1997. LL.D. on a dissertation on the protection of visual arts and pictures at Stockholm university in 1997. Lecturer at the Stockholm School of Economics 1997–2006. Adjunct professor in intellectual property law at Lund University 2002–2008. Professor in legal science at the Stockholm School of Economics in 2006. Professor in private law at Stockholm university since 2007. Editor of the Nordic Intellectual property Law Review (NIR) 1998–2017.

[1] Later on, I have realised that this text was shortened and adjusted to fit for a text book in Latin. Today all texts are available online, and the authentic text can be found on the Internet, cf. just for one example: 

Picture 1: Old people should live a tranquile and ordinated life. This rule was firmly perceived by Spurinna.

Picture 2: In the morning he is kept in his bed.

Picture 3: In the second hour he asks for his shoes.

Picture 4: Spurinna goes around, and exercises his mind, not less than his body.

Picture 5: If friends are present, very interesting discussions are developed.

Picture 6: If not, he reads a book. Occasionally, Spurinna reads a book even if friends are present, however, just in the case they do not find it boring.

Picture 7: Then he sits down.

Picture 8: In a minute, he steps into a vehicle in companionship with a friend, as for instance me recently.

Picture 9: Coming back to his residence, he returns to his bedroom.

Picture 10: He take a pencil, and writes in either language.

Picture 11: In the 8^th hour – if the wind is missing – he goes around naked in the sun and moves a ball hard and for a long time.

Picture 12: Which this exercise, Spurinna struggles against his age.

Picture 13: After taking a bath, he is leaning at the table, and for a while he delays the meal.

Picture 14: Meanwhile, he listens to someone reading.

Picture 15: Under this entire time, his friends are either doing the same thing, or something else.

Picture 16: Then, the dinner is served on old and pure silver.

Picture 17: So is the life of Spurinna after 77 years.

Picture 18: His vigour is intact.

 Looking back at the Spurinna Story, we can find the origin of the ATRIP logotype in strip 10, when he is writing. The metaphor for the so to say eternal author, already identified by Gunnar Karnell, is that we, from the picture, do not know what this person is doing, other than a presumed act of intellectual activity, which may result in an intellectual property of any kind.

See Pictures HERE