Thought the Puritans were dour? Think again!
Art of the Americas
This image is so complex that its features could only be perceived, let alone understood, by the initiated.
Complexity and vision: the Staff God at ...
A short-lived Dutch colony produced art that sought to serve science but instead served racism.
Albert Eckhout, Series of eight figures
Why are these murals in the cloister of Acolman painted in only black and white?
Murals from New Spain, San Agustín de ...
Revolutionary priests and an ex-member of the Spanish military led a charge for independence and equality for some.
Mexican Independence
The Conceptionists were founded for elite, pure-blooded Spanish women. This nun just took her vows.
Crowned Nun Portrait of Sor María de ...
Two countries honor their love of democracy with a huge statue of a woman! Neither let women vote, though.
The light of democracy — examining the ...
Located in a high desert, Chaco’s residents dedicated much of their energy to controlling water for crops.
Introduction to Chaco Canyon
Ouro Preto was a remote yet cosmopolitan town where gold supported both artists and architects.
Church of São Francisco de Assis, Ouro ...
Chilkat weaving has been practiced by Tlingit for hundreds of years; here modernity and tradition weave together.
Clarissa Rizal, Resilience Robe
Red Star annotated photographs to restore dignity and context to government-issue photographs of Crow chiefs.
Wendy Red Star, 1880 Crow Peace Delegation
The Mexica people formed their capital when they saw the sign they had been promised: an eagle perched on a cactus.
Introduction to the Aztecs (Mexica)
Though at first glance this nude seems plucked from classical antiquity, it actually alludes to modern politics.
Hiram Powers, The Greek Slave
This remarkable work honors those who fought for their own freedom, but acknowledges that the struggle goes on.
John Quincy Adams Ward, The Freedman
Cole feared for the American landscape as his country expanded westward.
Thomas Cole, The Hunter’s Return
Remington mourns the decline of the cowboy by depicting the very thing that destroyed his iconic lifestyle.
The end of an era: Remington’s The ...
This outfit was likely made for a British lieutenant and gifted to him in a ritual exchange to show mutual respect.
Global trade and an 18th-century Anishinaabe outfit
Found marking the grave of an important individual, this gorget was worn as a neck ornament during life.
Mississippian shell neck ornament (gorget)
Nampeyo found inspiration from the old to create a pottery style that was entirely new and highly sought after.
Nampeyo (Hopi-Tewa), polychrome jar
The creation of a beloved landmark destroyed a thriving community of African Americans and Irish immigrants.