Rijksmuseum Shares 700K Free Art Images From Europe and Beyond

Download and reinvent the artworks of Dutch masters and more with high-resolution, copyright-free images available via Rijksstudio

Online museum collections have often consisted of small thumbnails and view-only content, but the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is passionate about its mission to connect the public with art in a deep and powerful way.

That’s why you can now find 763,208 works of art in their online platform, Rijksstudio. Not only can you view oil paintings, sculptures, and more in high definition, but you can also freely download the artwork to use in your own creative experiments, or order it as prints and canvases. Find out the history of the museum, which artworks are available, and how to get started below.

What are the Rijksmuseum and Rijksstudio?

Rijksmuseum means “state museum” in Dutch, but when used alone this word refers to the famous, palatial art museum in Amsterdam. Its role is to share Dutch history from the Middle Ages until the present day, and the museum began its life 200 years ago. Its collection focuses on European art alongside a smaller collection of Asian art.

Its goal is to maintain, restore, and present important art objects to the public and connect them with their history. The entire museum was renovated in 2013, but this renovation went beyond the building itself: creating a new online space called the Rijksstudio. The images stored here are digital versions of famous artworks that are watermark-free and available in the public domain. Today, thousands of members have used this digital space to interact with and edit masterpieces to reflect their own tastes.

On their website they note that users have made prints, canvases, fabric, stickers, and more from the artworks. The museum has also collaborated with contemporary artists to see how they interpret the old masters.

Which artworks can be found in Rijksstudio?

The majority of works come from Dutch painters and other European artists. In particular, it’s a great place to find instantly recognizable artworks by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Steen, Rubens, Van Gogh, and more. The Milkmaid (Vermeer, 1660) and The Night Watch (Rembrandt van Rijn, 1642) are highlights. However, they also hold some works by Katsushika Hokusai (known for the wood-block print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa) and other artists from Japan, China, India, and Indonesia.

In terms of the content of these artworks, here is just a selection of what you might discover and reinvent:

1. Paintings including landscapes, portraits, and still lifes
2. Sculpture in stone, bronze, wood, and more
3. Furniture, from armoires to ornate dollhouses
4. Tapestries and soft furnishings
5. Ceramics and other small handcrafts
6. Fashion, accessories, and jewelry
7. Weapons and ship models

How do I use Rijksstudio in my own creative projects?

Rijksstudio allows art enthusiasts to download and use copyright-free images for their own creativity. When browsing artworks, you’ll find that you can zoom in and move around high-definition digital images on the web, or download and manipulate them.

If you’re a casual viewer and simply want to explore Dutch art, we recommend checking out the Stories section of the website, where you can watch slideshows or pause and interact with artworks more closely, with video tours (although note that some longer tours require payment).

When it comes to navigating the Rijksstudio collection in full, you can search or browse by name of artist, art style, artwork name, and many more options. When you click on an artwork to view it full-screen, you’ll get several options as explained below.

1. Save the artwork for later in your own Rijksstudio, which behaves like a personal collection—and it's a great space to compile inspirational reference images for your own designs. You can also “cut out” and save just your favorite snippet. Plus, your collections can be viewed by others, creating a community of interweaving collections that reveal different associations made by users.

2. Download the work to use it in your own creations. The images are high-res (4500 x 4500 pixels average, 300 dpi) JPEGs. And if you want more, Rijksstudio for professionals allows you to order TIFF files and color references.

3. Order a print of the artwork or your favorite detail by zooming and cropping (you can order a poster or canvas in square or rectangular shapes). Starting at around € 15.00, currently only available for EU delivery.

Artists have made clothing, homeware, prints, and more from the artworks on display: what would you create?

Access the Rijksstudio here and start reinventing classic art.

Explore more art and get inspired with these resources

1. Did you know you can find thousands of artworks in your favorite color, all in one place? Check out the Google Arts and Culture tool.

2. Read over 300 books on painting and architecture for free, via Getty.

3. Learn to paint in a photorealistic style with oils, in this course by Christopher Paul Stevens.

4. Or, try realistic oil painted portraits, with this course by Alan Coulson.