Artwork in Focus

A'aninin ​Shirt

A shirt like this one grabs the attention of anyone who sees it. But for the people of the Plains Indian tribe who made and wore the shirt, its impact went beyond the details just noticed.

Album Quilt

Handmade quilts were valued household items in 18th- and 19th-century America, providing both warmth and beauty. This quilt was not meant to keep anyone warm, however. It was made to display the talent of the women who sewed it and to be an admired gift, decorated with emblems of friendship and civic pride.”

Art of the Apsaalooka

The horse evolved millions of years ago in North America and migrated across the Bering land bridge (now the Bering Strait) into Asia and beyond. But around 10,000 years ago, after the last Ice Age, horses became extinct in North America.

Asante Kente Cloth

There are different ways to look at a West African kente (KEN-tay) cloth hanging in a museum gallery. You can stand a few feet back, watching the colors and patterns dance in a vibrant rhythm across the cloth.

Asmat Bis Pole

You have to look a long time to catch all of the details in this amazing wood carving. Its curved abstract forms and powerful human figures certainly grab and hold our attention. However, this wood sculpture was not made for museumgoers to gaze at.

Beauford Delaney's Untitled

You have to look a long time to catch all of the details in this amazing wood carving. Its curved abstract forms and powerful human figures certainly grab and hold our attention. However, this wood sculpture was not made for museumgoers to gaze at.

Bella Coola Frontlet

You have to look a long time to catch all of the details in this amazing wood carving. Its curved abstract forms and powerful human figures certainly grab and hold our attention. However, this wood sculpture was not made for museumgoers to gaze at.

Benin Head

This is the head of an oba, or king, of the Edo people. The oba’s strength as a leader depends on his personal traits and also on supernatural help from the kings who wore the oba’s cap and collar before him.

Chinese Scholar's Study

All is quiet. A trickle of water flows in the garden outside the window. A breeze whispers through the window screen. An inky brush slaps softly against the paper as you write at the desk. At home in 18th century China, you might easily forget that a bustling town lies beyond the walls of this room.

Dear Diary

Enormous insects, glowing, ghostly figures, the stage-like scene, the strange title: What is happening in this painting?

Golden Bird

What do you think you are looking at? Does it seem familiar? The artist who made this sculpture didn’t include many details. He wanted above all to show the spirit of the figure.

Goya's Self-Portrait with Dr. Arrieta

Remember how you felt the last time you were sick? Perhaps your muscles were weak and aching. Maybe your mind was confused by feverish dreams. You might have slept for days.

Ink Tablet in the Form of a Tortoise

Chinese scholars used ink tablets for grinding inksticks and mixing ink. This tortoise-shaped tablet would have been highly valued by its owner, because the tortoise is rich in symbolism.

Inuit Figures

Beast of the sea! Come and place yourself before me In the dear early morning! Beast of the plain! Come and place yourself before me In the dear early morning!

Italian Half Armor

Can a man wearing steel plates be graceful and elegant? From the look of this armor, the answer is yes. Every inch of the upper body is shielded from harm. But the arms are still slender and the waist trim. Delicate designs summon a picture of high society, not the mud-spattered mess of a battlefield. Make no mistake though this armor was meant to keep the man inside alive in the heat of a fight.

Japanese Kimono

Rich, beautiful silk. A vibrant, red color. Delicate patterns of flowers. Dazzling threads of gold.

Japanese Samurai Armor

Japanese Samurai Armor Precious materials, fine details, and exceptional craftsmanship—all are hallmarks of the beauty and artistry in Japanese culture.

Japanese Tiger and Dragon

Imagine finding yourself between these two creatures, each painted on a wide folding screen standing five feet tall.

Korean Dragon Jar

Sweeping through the sky, this playful dragon bends its curving serpent body up and down and back and forth around the jar on which it is whimsically painted.

Kuba Belt

Dance your eyes around this full circle of objects. Jump along zigzag lines and sail around curves. Skip from bright rows of beads and shells to the brown backs of giant seashells. Even laid out flat in the quiet of a museum, the twenty-three pendants hanging from this belt make a lively collection of patterns and materials.

Lakota Winter Count

Horses. Tipis. Warriors. Buffalo. Images from Plains Indian life circle around the center of this canvas as if on a march.

Lew Alcindor

This photograph embodies the stories of two superstars—artist and athlete—in their own professions and addresses an era that embraced the civil rights movement, fashion photography, and the idea of sports stars as superheroes.

Miao Festival Outfit

What is your most prized possession? What does it say about you? For the Miao people of southwestern China, nothing is more valuable, or more revealing, than their elaborate, handcrafted festival wear.

Money Tree

This Chinese Han dynasty money tree is decorated with coin designs and lively scenes to sustain its owner in the afterlife.

Pedernal-From the Ranch

Do you have a favorite place? What is special about it? Is it a park where you spend summer days? Or maybe you like the view from a high hilltop. Perhaps you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city. Or do you prefer being inside a quiet room?

Portrait of George Washington

Take a step back in time to the United States of America of the 1820s, when this picture was painted. Almost fifty years had passed since the first shot of independence was fired.

Portrait of an Older Woman

Let your eyes wander over this sculpture. Folds of fabric cross the woman’s chest, drop off her shoulder, swing across her belly, fall to her ankles only to swoop back up towards her head. But the action stops there. Curls of hair cling tightly to her scalp in orderly rows. They frame a stern face, with firm jaw and tight lips.

Tiger Pillow

Rippling black stripes on a rich orange coat. Gleaming white teeth and a focused gaze. A long tail tucked against a robust body. Most people would immediately recognize this animal as a tiger.

The Gamblers

What is going on in this picture? If we take a careful look at the figure’s body language and facial expressions, we might assume a confrontation is taking place. The young man on the left appears to be saying something. His gaze is focused on the older gentleman across from him. Further in the background, another young man seems to want to be part of the action.

Theseus Slaying the Centaur Bianor

The ancient Greeks placed a high value on human abilities and accomplishments. Physical strength, intelligence, and courage were attributes of their mythological heroes, such as Theseus, who is portrayed in this bronze sculpture.

The Skaters

At first glance, this painting seems whimsical and lighthearted. Legs flying in the air, colorful costumes, and the clear, crisp landscape set up a cheery ice-skating scene.

View of Fort Snelling

Leaves are turning color and starting to fall. A flag hangs limp in the crisp air, high over the fort on the bluff. Smoke rises from tipis on the island mid-river. The drums of a group of Dakota dancers are the only sounds to break the quiet. It is a fine day for a soldier-artist from the fort to cross the river and paint the scene.