What is the Public Domain?
If a book, song, movie, or artwork is in the public domain, it’s no longer protected by intellectual property laws (copyright, trademark, or patent). That means it’s free for anyone to use—no permission required. In most cases, works enter the public domain simply because of age. (Stanford University)
What this means for you: you can download the artwork for free, take it to your favorite big-box store, print it in virtually any size, and use it however you like.
Free Art Sources
Check out a few of these sites for free public-domain art. It does require some searching, but if you’re in the mood to browse, there are thousands of free art images.
Art Institute of Chicago
Artvee
Paul Getty Trust
Raw Pixel
Unsplash
Wikimedia Commons
Yale University Art Gallery
National Gallery of Art
Curationist
My Gallery Wall
Here’s a small collection of my favorites, all sourced from public-domain resources. Curating the perfect gallery wall takes time, so I recommend starting with a clear theme and using a few well-chosen keywords to help guide your search and narrow your options.