L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) remains the most popular of the Oz books — not least of all because it’s the only one illustrated by W. W. Denslow. See the wonderful illustrations, and more on Denslow's eventful life, here:

The Public Domain Review

W. W. Denslow’s Illustrations for the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)

The strange, unhappy life of W. W. Denslow, the illustrator of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Entering the public domain in 2026, in countries with a "life + 70yr" copyright: The works of Thomas Mann. More info behind window 18 of our advent-style countdown calendar for works entering the #publicdomain on Jan 1st:

The Public Domain Review

What Will Enter the Public Domain in 2026?

At the start of each year, on January 1st, a new crop of works enter the public domain. Find our highlights of what lies in store for 2026 here.

#PDin2026

Clarence Leroy Andrews, “The Father of the Glaciers”, 1902. One of more than forty photographs of snowmen, spanning almost a century from 1854 to 1950, featured in our latest post:

The Public Domain Review

“How He Came to Life One Day”: Photographs of Snowmen (1854–1950)

More than forty images of the ephemeral snowman, frozen eternally in the photograph.

Pages from a wonderful Italian book of proverbs made by the engraver and painter Giuseppe Maria Mitelli (1634–1718). More here: http://buff.ly/2uKnDmK

Just 3 days left of our fundraiser! Become a Friend of the PDR before midnight on Dec 17th to get our latest postcard pack themed on ATTENTION. Other Friend perks include 15% off our prints. (One-off donations also very welcome!). More details here:

The Public Domain Review

Support the Project

We are a not-for-profit project and rely on your donations to stay alive. If you like what we do, and want to see it continue, then please do lend ...

Edgar Allan Poe was big into code cracking. He once challenged readers of a Philadelphia paper to stump him with coded messages, deciphering dozens before having to “swear off” cryptograms forever. More on how code factors into his stories here:

The Public Domain Review

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Gold-Bug” (1843)

Poe’s story of a treasure hunt, revealing the fantastical writer’s hyper-rational penchant for cracking codes.

Entering the US public domain in 2026: Geoffrey Dennis' The End of the World. More info behind window 11 of our advent-style countdown calendar for works entering the #publicdomain on Jan 1st:

The Public Domain Review

What Will Enter the Public Domain in 2026?

At the start of each year, on January 1st, a new crop of works enter the public domain. Find our highlights of what lies in store for 2026 here.

#PDin2026

Entering the US public domain in 2026: Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies. More info behind window 10 of our advent-style countdown calendar for works entering the #publicdomain on Jan 1st:

The Public Domain Review

What Will Enter the Public Domain in 2026?

At the start of each year, on January 1st, a new crop of works enter the public domain. Find our highlights of what lies in store for 2026 here.

#PDin2026

Pissing at the moon. One of Bruegel the Elder’s Twelve Proverbs (1558), painted on serving plates. After consuming the sweet offered, diners would flip the plates and muse over the imparted wisdom. More here:

The Public Domain Review

Gustatory Wisdom: Bruegel the Elder’s *Twelve Proverbs* (1558)

Proverbial scenes about human folly painted on serving plates.

Kenneth Gross on the unique vision of innocence at play in Paul Klee's puppets, and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke:

The Public Domain Review

Of Angel and Puppet: Klee, Rilke, and the Test of Innocence

Built for his son from the scraps of daily life — matchboxes, beef bones, nutshells, and plaster — Paul Klee’s hand puppets harbour ghosts of...

#longreads #paulklee