I built a masonry layout with only CSS and HTML 10 years ago. The site is actually still live. A scripting language is used to generate the HTML and CSS based on the dimensions of the images. But the masonry runs left to right not top to bottom.
So it makes pictures larger / smaller based on the screen width?
Usually what is expected is that with narrower screen, you get fewer columns, pictures are still same-ish size. You also need to keep the order of the items (e.g. on a wider screen 1, 2, 3, 4 are all on one row, with a smaller screen 1 and 2 are on a row, then 3 and 4 on another row).
Sure, but different from what the masonry design is meant to facilitate (check the linked demos). It's very useful esp. for a photo gallery kind of sites.