Terms of Use
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Welcome to Ars Sancta, an independent digital archive dedicated to preserving, sharing, and celebrating sacred art and the Christian artistic heritage.
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Ars Sancta website, its digital collection, and the Ars Sancta Android application (collectively, the “Service”).
By accessing or using Ars Sancta, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree with them, please discontinue use of the Service.
1. About Ars Sancta
Ars Sancta is an independent digital project based in Brazil, dedicated to making sacred and Catholic paintings freely accessible to people around the world.
Our mission is to encourage the appreciation, study, and contemplation of sacred art while promoting access to works of historical, cultural, and religious significance.
The website and the core features of our Android application are available free of charge, without advertisements or mandatory user registration. Optional financial contributions and purchases may be offered to support the development and maintenance of the project.
2. Public Domain Artworks
The paintings featured in the Ars Sancta collection are selected based on their public domain status. Digital reproductions are sourced from the open-access collections of recognized cultural institutions, including:
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art;
- The Art Institute of Chicago;
- The Cleveland Museum of Art.
These institutions make eligible digital reproductions available under open-access initiatives, generally through the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) public domain dedication.
Ars Sancta does not claim copyright ownership over the public domain artworks or the open-access reproductions provided through our collection. You are free to use these images, including for commercial purposes, without requesting permission from Ars Sancta.
Permitted Uses
Permitted uses include, but are not limited to:
- Downloading and saving the images;
- Personal, educational, devotional, and religious use;
- Academic research and publications;
- Editorial and commercial projects;
- Printing, reproduction, and distribution;
- Modification, adaptation, and creative reuse.
No payment, attribution, or special permission from Ars Sancta is required to reuse these public domain images.
Although attribution is not mandatory for images designated CC0, we encourage users to credit the original artist and the museum holding the artwork whenever practical, as a matter of historical accuracy and scholarly good practice.
Important Considerations
- Public domain status and copyright rules may vary between countries. Although we endeavor to include only eligible public domain artworks and open-access reproductions, users are responsible for verifying whether their intended use complies with the laws applicable in their jurisdiction.
- Certain uses may also be subject to other legal protections, including trademark, privacy, publicity, or personality rights.
- The availability of an image through Ars Sancta does not constitute legal advice or an individual guarantee of its copyright status in every jurisdiction.
- The museums mentioned above are independent institutions. Ars Sancta is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or officially endorsed by them.
3. Intellectual Property of Ars Sancta
While the artworks and eligible digital reproductions in our collection are in the public domain or made available under applicable open-access terms, certain original elements of Ars Sancta remain protected by intellectual property laws.
These may include:
- The Ars Sancta name, logo, and visual identity;
- Original website and application design elements;
- Original source code, except where third-party or open-source licenses apply;
- Original editorial articles and educational content;
- Original artwork descriptions and iconographic commentary;
- Original artist profiles, museum profiles, and other written materials.
These protections apply to original creative expression and do not extend to historical facts, artwork titles, dates, artist names, public domain material, or information that is otherwise not protected by copyright.
You may quote brief excerpts from our original written content with appropriate attribution, subject to applicable copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction, substantial republication, or commercial redistribution of protected Ars Sancta content is not permitted without prior authorization, except where allowed by law.
Nothing in this section restricts your lawful use of public domain artworks or other materials that are freely reusable.
4. Acceptable Use
We aim to keep Ars Sancta accessible, reliable, and available to everyone. To protect the Service against abuse and excessive automated activity, we may implement reasonable technical safeguards, including download and request limits.
By using Ars Sancta, you agree not to:
- Use bots, scrapers, scripts, or other automated tools to extract substantial portions of the collection in violation of our access restrictions;
- Attempt to bypass download limits, security measures, or other technical protections;
- Overload, disrupt, or interfere with the normal operation of the Service;
- Probe, attack, or attempt unauthorized access to our systems;
- Introduce malicious software or engage in activities that compromise the security or availability of the Service;
- Misrepresent your relationship with Ars Sancta or falsely imply that Ars Sancta endorses your activities;
- Use the Ars Sancta name, logo, or branding in a misleading or unauthorized manner.
We reserve the right to restrict, suspend, or block access when necessary to protect the Service or respond to violations of these Terms.
These restrictions apply to the use of our Service and infrastructure, not to the copyright status of the artworks themselves. They do not limit your legal right to reproduce or reuse public domain images obtained through lawful means.
5. Financial Contributions and Purchases
Ars Sancta may offer optional financial support opportunities and purchases to help maintain and develop the project.
5.1. Contributions Through the Website
Voluntary financial contributions made through our website may be processed by external payment providers, including:
- PayPal;
- Ko-fi;
- Banco Inter, including PIX payments where available.
Contributions are intended to support the continued operation and development of Ars Sancta. Unless expressly stated otherwise, voluntary contributions:
- Are not required to access the free collection;
- Do not grant exclusive rights over any artwork;
- Do not increase download limits or provide special access privileges;
- Do not constitute the purchase of a product or service.
Voluntary contributions are generally non-refundable, except where required by applicable law or the payment provider’s policies. Payment transactions are subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the selected provider.
5.2. Android Application Payments
All financial contributions and purchases offered within the Ars Sancta Android application are processed through Google Play’s billing system, in accordance with applicable Google Play policies.
Prices, product descriptions, and any applicable purchase conditions are presented before a transaction is completed. Purchases made through Google Play are subject to Google’s applicable payment terms and refund policies, as well as any mandatory consumer rights provided by law.
Refund requests may be submitted through Google Play or directed to Ars Sancta when appropriate.
5.3. Payment Issues
If you experience a problem with a contribution or purchase, please contact the relevant payment provider or reach out to us at [email protected]. We will make reasonable efforts to assist with issues relating to transactions associated with Ars Sancta.
6. Artistic and Religious Content
Ars Sancta presents sacred art within its historical, cultural, artistic, and religious context.
Some artworks may contain depictions of suffering, martyrdom, violence, or artistic nudity, reflecting the subjects and conventions of their historical periods. Where available, images containing artistic nudity are displayed with a blur by default, which users may choose to remove.
These representations are presented for artistic, educational, and cultural purposes. Parents and guardians are encouraged to exercise discretion when allowing minors to explore the collection.
7. Accuracy of Information
We strive to provide accurate, reliable, and carefully researched information about the artworks in our collection.
However, art history is an evolving field, and information concerning artists, artwork titles, dates, attributions, provenance, and interpretations may change as new research becomes available.
Despite our efforts, occasional errors, omissions, or inaccuracies may occur. Information is provided for general cultural, educational, and informational purposes. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not guarantee that all catalogue information will always be complete, accurate, or up to date.
We welcome corrections and well-supported suggestions at [email protected].
8. Copyright Concerns and Content Removal
We respect intellectual property rights and make reasonable efforts to ensure that the images included in our collection are eligible for public domain or open-access use.
If you believe that any material available through Ars Sancta infringes copyright or has been included in error, please contact us at: [email protected]
When submitting a notice, please include:
- The URL or identification of the material concerned;
- A description of the rights you believe are affected;
- The basis of your claim;
- Any relevant supporting information;
- Your contact details for follow-up communication.
We will review notices in good faith and take appropriate action when warranted, which may include correcting information, restricting access, or removing the material.
9. Third-Party Websites and Services
Ars Sancta may provide links to external websites or incorporate content from third-party services, including museums, cultural institutions, YouTube, and payment providers.
These services operate independently and may be governed by their own terms of use and privacy policies. We do not control the availability, content, or practices of third-party websites and services. Accessing third-party resources is subject to their respective conditions.