We’ve all had that dream where our house is beautifully decorated and has wonderful art pieces all over. We all want to have a big Picasso or Monet hanging on our living room wall. Being realistic, it’s nearly impossible to achieve that without being a millionaire or an art collector. Well, now you can have those dreamy painting at your own house for a fraction of the cost. 

Many pieces that are in museums are of the public domain, which means that they are not protected by copyright and can be used for free by anyone without any permission. Thanks to Creative Commons Zero (CCO), many museums have released high-resolution images of some of these public domain artworks to the public and are available to download and use completely for free. 

With this amazing release, you can have some dreamy paintings to give whatever aesthetic and vibe you want to your home for free. 

Now, not all museums have been this kind, some still keep their pieces reserved and charge a fee for the usage of them. Here are some of the institutions that have embraced CCO and Open Access Images:

1. Art Institute of Chicago: Under the filter of the public domain, you can find beautiful and famous pieces that would be impossible to get otherwise. If you’ve always dreamed of having a copy of the ‘Water Lilies’ by Claude Monet, well here you have it.  There are other paintings by very famous artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir and Vermeer. 
2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Also known as “The Met” and recognized by being the venue for the biggest event in May, The Met Gala, this institution is one to offer free images of their public domain artwork. Here you can find iconic vintage pieces such as Rembrandt’s “Self-Portrait”, and the “Wheat Field with Cypresses” by Van Gogh. Make sure the filter for open access is selected and you can roam through all the beautiful artworks. 
3. Paris Musée: If you love the French aesthetic and their art, this is the place for you. Here you can find beautiful pieces that would give such an elegant touch to your home. There are plenty of wonderful prints that are available to give that vintage vibe that’s so trendy. Go to the advanced settings and select the free images filter and you have a whole world of art in front of you.

There are other institutions that have this amazing option so you can get the images that you desire: J.Paul Getty Museum, National Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian, and Yale University Art Gallery. 

All there’s left to do is look for some nice frames to place your prints and you’ll have the home-décor of your dreams. You can play with colours, art movements, different artists, and endless possibilities to have the design you’ve always wanted.