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Popular Graphic Art Prints at the Library of Congress (1600s-1970s)

Rights & Reproductions

For researchers hoping to copy and publish images, information about how to assess rights to images in the collection and how to obtain both reference and quality copies is provided below.

Rights Information

Obtaining Copies

Digitized Images

Researchers can download digital files.

  • Images that have a Rights Advisory of "No known restrictions on publication" display and make available for downloading larger jpeg and tiff files no matter where you are searching from. You can include "No known restrictions" in your search to try to focus on rights-free images.
  • Images that have a Rights Advisory of "Publication may be restricted" will display only thumbnail images outside Library of Congress buildings. Researchers can download larger files for such images when on site in any of the Library of Congress buildings while using Library public workstations or wireless connection. In downloading such images, researchers acknowledge that they are responsible for clearing any necessary permissions for use of potentially rights restricted images. Alternatively, researchers can purchase downloads of larger files through Library of Congress Duplication Services, acknowledging in placing the order that they are responsible for clearing any necessary permissions.

Prints Not Already Digitized

On-site researchers can make reference photographs of prints with a hand-held camera (no lights or tripod). For more information, see: Basic Camera Copying in the Prints & Photographs Reading Room.

Researchers can purchase quality scans of prints through Library of Congress Duplication Services. In placing an order, researchers should cite the call number of the print.