Did you know that the
Metropolitan Museum of Art has a program that allows free download of thousands of art images, for non-commercial use? It's part of a trend among prestigious museums, who recognize that their purpose -- to showcase fine art -- is enhanced by making art available to everyone.
Artist: Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, Capua 1839–1889 London)
Sitter: Portrait of James McNeill Whistler (American, Lowell, Massachusetts 1834–1903 London)
Date: 1881
The program, titled Open Access for Scholarly Content (OASC), provides high resolution digital images of public domain works held by the museum. You could easily spend a full day or even longer just browsing the online collections they offer. From Whistler (beyond his mother) to Goya, Georgia O'Keefe, Sargent, and Rembrandt, to Impressionists, Native American art, and more, it's a feast for the senses.
Obviously, you cannot (without permission and a fee) use the downloaded art for commercial purposes such as reselling on prints, cards, etc.
Visit the
FAQ page for important information.
