Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - photo by Carol M. Highsmith for the Library of Congress (1980-2006)
OCTOBER 19TH, 2026
Today I've got a more modern (but still public domain) work of art to share: a Library of Congress photo of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA.
I've never been to Boston and had no idea this museum even existed until it was mentioned by @cryku, who noted my abiding love of courtyards and cloisters. I have him to thank for the extended rabbit hole dig that led to today's selection.
When I look at this museum (established in 1903) — and other garden marvels in the States that remain open to the public, such as The Grotto in Portland, OR where I live, which began in 1925 — I'm struck by the thought that these developments grew out of a unique time in US history, and the specific conditions that enabled work like this are long gone, never to return. Are there any wealthy art lovers in the States who are doing this kind of work today and making it available as a "commons" for the enjoyment of the public? If so, I'd love to hear more.
If you like this courtyard, take time to browse the Wikimedia Commons collection (82 photos of the courtyard from various angles) and maybe also peruse some of the other rooms in the museum.
Sourcing side note (fair warning: this path might lead you into another rabbit hole): the accomplished photographer, Carol M. Highsmith, has gifted over 100K of her photographs into the public domain. (!) A couple of my favorites: a hippie head shop on Haight Street in the 1960s and The George Peabody Library in Baltimore, MD.
Sources:
- Library of Congress
- Wikimedia Commons
- Inside the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (blog)
- Everyday Wanderer (archived blog post)
- Her Life and Her Museum: Isabella Stewart Gardner (article in DailyArt Magazine)
The Public Domain Art Portal is a gentle open-ended inquiry into the placement of human attention, and an affirmation of enduring forms of value. Read more about our curation-by-slowcore-ethos in our intro.
What do you notice when you give sustained attention to the art?
