Virginia Woolf (Photo: Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain) (left) and “Self-portrait” by Henri Matisse (Photo: Henri Matisse via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain) (right)
Every January 1 is Public Domain Day, as the copyright on many works of art expires and they are released onto the public domain. With this, they become free to enjoy, share, and reuse for any purpose by anyone. In 2025, this includes works published in 1929 for the United States, as well as creations by artists who passed away in 1954 for countries with a copyright term of “life plus 70 years.” As such, next year’s selection features world-famous books, Oscar-winning films, and paintings by notable Modern artists.
In the world of art, the most notable entries into the public domain are the works of Henri Matisse, who passed away in 1954. Known for his groundbreaking use color and fluid approach to drawing, his paintings draw large crowds in modern art museums around the world. Creations by French artist André Derain, considered a co-founder of Fauvism alongside Matisse, are also entering the public domain.
Many art lovers are also looking forward for the work of Frida Kahlo to be publicly available, as the Mexican artist also died in 1954. However, in Mexico, which has one of the lengthiest terms in the matter of rights, copyright only expires 100 years after the death of an artist, meaning they won’t be available for public use for another three decades.
As for books, some titles that have long been regarded as classics are entering the public domain. This means we may see new film or stage adaptations, as well as a myriad of new editions now that anyone can reprint the book without consulting with the authors’ estate. Among these are Virginia Woolf’s essay A Room of One’s Own, Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, and William Seabrook’s novel The Magic Island, known for being the first book to introduce the concept of a zombie.
The year 1929 marked a watershed moment in film, meaning some trailblazing movies are also entering the public domain in January. Among them are the Marx Brothers’ first film The Cocoanuts; The Broadway Melody, the first sound film and second film ever to win the Academy Award for Best Picture; The Black Watch, director John Ford’s first sound film, as well as Cecil B. DeMille’s first sound film Dynamite; and the first Silly Symphony cartoons, including the Halloween favorite The Skeleton Dance.
Among other artworks that will soon be available for public use are George Gershwin’s tone poem An American in Paris, as well as the first recordings of “Rhapsody in Blue.” Tintin and Popeye the Sailor Man will also enter the public domain in 2025, similarly to the first Tarzan strips illustrated by Hal Foster. However, versions and translations published after 1929 may remain copyrighted, so it’s best to make a thorough check should you want to use them. Wikipedia has compiled a helpful list which breaks down the copyrighted material by country.
January 1 is Public Domain Day and 2025 includes the releasing of work by some Modern artists, like Matisse and Frida Kahlo, into the public domain.
Frida photographed by her father, Guillermo Kahlo, in 1932. (Photo: Guillermo Kahlo via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
In the United States, songs, books, and films from 1929 will also become part of the public domain.
This includes classics like the Marx Brother’s first film and Popeye, who first appeared in a comic strip in 1929.
Source: What Will Enter the Public Domain in 2025?
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