What is the largest sharp print size for The Librarian?

At 300 dpi, this 3,076 × 4,254 px file prints up to 10.3 × 14.2 in with gallery-sharp detail. At 150 dpi the file reaches 20.5 × 28.4 in, which is poster-sharp quality.

Which standard frame sizes give gallery-sharp prints of The Librarian?

Gallery-sharp (300 dpi or above) frame sizes: 8 × 10 in. Sharp-to-poster-quality sizes also work: 11 × 14 in, 12 × 16 in, 16 × 20 in, 18 × 24 in.

Does printing The Librarian require cropping the image?

Standard frame aspect ratios may not match this artwork exactly; depending on the size chosen, up to 10% of the image could be cropped. Most print-on-demand services let you adjust the crop position or add a white mat border instead.

The Librarian — Giuseppe Arcimboldo | Free high-res download

The Librarian

Giuseppe Arcimboldo · ca. 1566 · Skokloster Castle, Sweden (attributed)

Public domain · $0.003,076 × 4,254 px · 13.1 MP

Prints gallery-sharp up to10.3 × 14.2 inat 300 dpi, uncropped · poster-sharp to 20.5 × 28.4 in at 150 dpi

The download is the original scan on Wikimedia Commons. Big file — give it a minute.

Build the wall set

Art, frame, light and hanging gear, picked together. Choose a size and finish; the wall preview shows exactly what you're getting. One button sends the whole kit to your Amazon cart.

Amazon sells the physical items, sets their prices and availability, and may pay us a commission. The free museum file is separate. How we get paid →

How big can you print it?

Standard frame sizes, turned to match the artwork. "Crops" is how much of the picture you lose filling that frame edge to edge — or keep it all and let a mat take up the difference.

Frame	Effective dpi	Verdict	Crops
8 × 10 in	384	Gallery sharp	10%
11 × 14 in	279	Sharp up close	8%
12 × 16 in	256	Sharp up close	4%
16 × 20 in	192	Poster sharp	10%
18 × 24 in	170	Poster sharp	4%
24 × 36 in	118	Fine across a room	8%
30 × 40 in	102	Fine across a room	4%

Will it fit over your couch? Put this one on your wall, to scale — crop or mat, frame size, hang height and the order.

The ticket

The Librarian is a painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo (Italian, Milan ca. 1526–1593 Milan), dated ca. 1566. Oil on canvas. Held by Skokloster Castle, Sweden (attributed); the free scan comes from Wikimedia Commons.

A man built from stacked books, with feather dusters for a beard and a robe of volumes. Scholars suspect it was a gentle joke at the expense of a real court librarian, though nobody can prove which one. Today it is the library's unofficial mascot. This version is attributed rather than certain, and the Commons record flags it as a possible copy. Hang it in an office or reading corner; it will earn its keep.

The work is in the public domain, which means no permission, no fee and no credit line required. That file is 3,076 × 4,254 pixels — 13.1 megapixels — good for a gallery-sharp print up to 10.3 × 14.2 in. Paintings reproduce best on matte paper. Gloss throws glare across exactly the brushwork you came for, and a picture light does more for a print than any upgrade in paper.

On the receipt

Artist: Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Date: ca. 1566
Medium: Oil on canvas
Held by: Skokloster Castle, Sweden (attributed)
License: Public domain · Public Domain Mark
Source: Commons file page ↗