The New York Public Library is currently working on a project to digitize its collection, and has amassed some 187,000 high-resolution images so far. And in a welcome altruistic gesture, it's made the entire collection available online.
It's royalty-free, copyright-free, and you can browse and download the images as you wish. So whether you want an illustration for a project, or you just want to peruse some stunning artworks without having to leave your web browser, it's now possible and won't cost you a cent.
Just head to http://www.nypl.org/research/collections/digital-collections/public-domain to get started.
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Comments
Be nice if there was some sort of front end for search.
(Yeah, yeah - i want jam on it...)
I agree that this is an excellent resource but take note that only low-res images are available for free. You have to pay to download high-res versions.
I downloaded humungous sized ones for free. You can order prints though.
Huge collection, nice find Rob.
I don't see any hi-res though, all my test downloads were 72dpi and max size 760px. Did I miss something?
This is a trend that is becoming more popular among museums and libraries with each passing year and with the favorable reception from the public I expect we will see more collections being offered as it's a win/win situation for all involved.