483,526 artworks are waiting
to be discovered by you.

Archive Lane is a public-domain art archive of 483,526 artworks from the world's great museums, libraries and masters — every piece free to browse and preview in full. You can download the original high-resolution scan with a membership, or order any artwork as a canvas, rolled canvas, framed canvas or framed print, made to order and shipped to you — prints start from $21.99 (rolled canvas) and ready-to-hang canvas from $68.99, shipping included.

What Archive Lane is

Every image in the archive is public domain: the copyright has expired, so nobody owns the painting, print or drawing itself. What you're paying for is the work of finding, scanning and preparing each piece, and, for physical orders, the printing and shipping. There are three ways to get a piece onto your wall or your drive: preview it for free on the site, buy the original high-resolution digital file as a one-off download or through a membership, or order it printed and framed.

The archive spans paintings, drawings, prints, illustrations and photographs pulled together from many different sources rather than a single museum collection, which is why the same search can turn up an Impressionist oil painting, a Japanese woodblock print and a botanical engraving side by side. Everything is organised the same handful of ways — by subject, culture, art movement, topic, artist and hand-picked collection — covered in more detail below, so you can browse however you already think about the piece you want.

The four print types

Every artwork that qualifies for printing can be ordered in one of four formats. Each is made to order once you place your order, not printed in advance and held in a warehouse:

• Canvas — gallery-wrapped, 1.5″ deep, ready to hang, no frame or glass — 26 sizes, from $68.99.
• Rolled Canvas — the same 400 gsm canvas, unstretched and shipped rolled in a protective tube, no frame — 25 sizes, from $21.99.
• Framed Canvas — the same stretched canvas set in a classic wood frame, no glazing in front of it — 23 sizes, from $87.99.
• Framed Print — a fine art paper print behind an acrylic glaze, in a classic wood frame — 22 sizes, from $84.99.

How to choose a size

Sizes are listed in inches and centimetres, from small desk pieces up to statement wall art. Sizes are offered in the artwork's own orientation — landscape, portrait or square — and a size that doesn't match its exact proportions is centred and trimmed to fit; the product page for each print states exactly how much of the image that removes before you order, so there are no surprises.

Framing options

Framed Canvas and Framed Print orders are available in 8 frame colours: Black, White, Natural, Gold, Walnut, Silver, Dark Grey, Light Grey. Canvas and Rolled Canvas prints have no frame and no glass.

Shipping

Physical prints currently ship to 38 countries. Every print is made to order at the production partner closest to you and shipped locally rather than from one central warehouse — shipping is included in the price shown, and digital files are available to download the moment your payment goes through.

Digital downloads & membership

Every artwork is free to preview at full size on the site. Membership unlocks the original, full-size file behind each one: the original scan rather than the web preview, across every artwork in the archive, and you can cancel any time. Individual artworks can also be bought as one-off digital downloads without a membership.

Browse ideas

A few starting points, with how many artworks are in each:

• Illustration — 113,158 artworks
• Drawings — 80,818 artworks
• Landscape — 58,239 artworks
• Prints — 56,402 artworks
• Figurative — 55,884 artworks
• Landscapes & Nature — 58,248 artworks
• Figurative Art — 55,884 artworks
• Art Deco — 47,754 artworks

Frequently asked questions

Is the art on Archive Lane really public domain?

Yes. Every artwork in the archive has an expired copyright, which is why it can be reproduced and sold as a print without a licence from the original artist's estate.

Can I download the original file for free?

You can preview every artwork at full size for free. Downloading the original high-resolution file requires either a one-off digital purchase or a membership.

What's the difference between Canvas, Rolled Canvas, Framed Canvas and Framed Print?

Canvas is a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas with no frame. Rolled Canvas is the same 400 gsm canvas, unstretched and shipped rolled in a tube, also with no frame. Framed Canvas is the same stretched canvas set inside a classic wood frame. Framed Print is a fine art paper print behind an acrylic glaze in a wood frame.

How long does a print take to arrive?

Prints are made to order at the production partner closest to you, then shipped locally, so timing depends on your country. It is not a stock item shipped from a warehouse.

What if the size I want doesn't match the artwork's shape?

The image is centred and trimmed to fit the size you choose. Each product page shows exactly how much of the image that removes before you order.

Is shipping included in the price?

Yes, shipping is included in the price shown for every print.