Art Institute of Chicago vs Icons8

The Art Institute of Chicago publishes its full collection of 130,000+ objects as a versioned, keyless REST API (api.artic.edu/api/v1) built on the same data that powers its own website and mobile app, with IIIF-based endpoints for zoomable, high-resolution images. A live GET against a real artwork record returned genuine JSON carrying Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *, reconfirming both auth None and cors yes with no key required.

Icons8 lets any page embed one of its icons by simply writing an image URL — no signup, key, or client library needed — with free use requiring attribution and paid plans removing that requirement. A live GET against the real host, img.icons8.com, returned a genuine icon image while carrying Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *, resolving cors unknown -> yes and reconfirming auth None.