What is this?
The Daily Masterwork is a small, joyful ritual: one museum quality pice of artwork, delivered to your inbox each day (M-F) —plus a short note about why it matters. You get a high-resolution file you can print, study, or simply stare at while your coffee cools.
What you’ll receive
- A single hand-picked masterpiece (painting, print, sculpture, or drawing)
- A brief, human-written note: context, story, and what to look for
- A download link to a cleaned-up, high-res image (yours to keep)
- Occasional themed weeks (clouds! cats! chiaroscuro!) and mini deep dives
Is This Legal?
Yes! And great art belongs to everyone. Public-domain works are free of copyright, which means we can share, print, remix, and teach with them—legally and guilt-free. I do the sourcing, cleanup, and curation so you get beauty without the headache.
Who’s behind this?
Hi—I’m A. L. Rockwell, a librarian/archivist turned writer who loves pairing art history with plain English. I live on the Oregon Coast, run on espresso, and believe a well-placed caption can rescue even the most intimidating museum wall text.
How it works
- I curate from museum/open collections (Met, Rijksmuseum, etc.).
- I restore/optimize the image for print and screens.
- I send you the artwork + a short note each day.
- You enjoy, share, or print—no strings attached.
What people use it for
- Desk wallpapers and framed prints
- Homeschool and classroom prompts
- Studio inspiration / warm-ups
- “I want to know a little more about art without doing homework”
Keep it free, keep it human
Daily Masterwork is human-curated with light tech help for cleanup. If you love it, tell a friend or reply to any email—notes from readers keep this project lively and focused.
Get your free 10-pack
Short FAQ
Can I print the images?
Yes. Everything I send is public domain or otherwise clearly licensed for reuse. I include a credit line and source link whenever possible.
Are the notes long?
Just a minute or two to read. If you feel like it.
What if I miss a day?
That’s art. It waits patiently. It’ll be there in the archive.
Will you cover contemporary artists?
Occasionally, if their work is openly licensed. I’ll label it clearly.
How do I get in touch?
Email: curator@dailymasterwork.com (or just reply to any message).
Credits & Sources
Daily Masterwork draws from major open collections and smaller archives. Image files may be lightly edited for clarity and color fidelity; original source and accession info are included in each email.
Bio
A. L. Rockwell is a writer, curator, and MLIS-holding librarian who enjoys rescuing great art from the depths of museum databases and introducing it like a friend: “You two should meet.”
He studied art history in London and was the historian/curator at a major museum in the Upper-Midwest.