Want to replace product with manufacturer for seo importance

Hi
I have an art website which has 120+ artists (manufacturers). I have had a mod done to include a description for each artist (bio). It is therefore important that these pages take priority over product ie paintings. Am i also to believe it would eliminate most duplicate urls? Would this code by Simon be the thing to achieve this:
Re: SEO Problem - duplicate content & showing subcategories

Postby uksitebuilder » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:48 am
Open: catalog/controller/product/product.php

find:

Code: Select all
$this->document->addLink($this->url->link('product/product', 'product_id=' . $this->request->get['product_id']), 'canonical');



change to

Code: Select all
if($product_info['manufacturer']){
$this->document->addLink($this->url->link('product/product', $url . '&manufacturer_id=' . $product_info['manufacturer_id'] . '&product_id=' . $this->request->get['product_id']), 'canonical');
}else{
$this->document->addLink($this->url->link('product/product', 'product_id=' . $this->request->get['product_id']), 'canonical');
}
My site site is http://www.gallerysales.co.uk

Also would this generate a new sitemap listing all manufacturers as priority?

Hi
I have just looked in the above file and that code is not there? I am using 1.4.9.1 verion, any ideas?
Cheers

Anyone......