This month the team of The Public Domain Review launched a new project aimed at artists, illustrators, designers and creatives of all stripes. Containing over 10,000 items, the Image archive in the public domain is a huge treasure trove of illustrations, prints, scans and more, all downloadable and free to use.
The database offers a functional search function that allows users to sort by artist, time period, style and theme. For those looking for maximum visual stimulation, there’s also an “Infinite View” option that merges all kinds of images into a navigable grid.
Included in the collections are 19th century drawings who turn cards into farcical figures, vibrant fish displays by Louis Renard, and satirical black and white cartoons from the censorship-laden Prohibition era.
Curators plan to add more entries to the database each week, so check back often for updates. And if you want to dig deeper into copyright-free works, check out the public domain archive on Colossal.
