NARRATOR: This mask is different from every other mask in this gallery… because it would have been worn and performed by a woman. Female masking performances are rare in Africa. The Sowei mask plays an important role in the all-female Sande Society. This society is a lifelong network of women among the Vai, Mende and neighboring peoples in present-day Sierra Leone.

CHRISTRAUD GEARY: Now if you look at the Portuguese soldier, there are certain details that I don’t want you to miss. One is that everything is articulated in the greatest detail. Look at his hands, they’re beautifully done, and look at the fact that you can see his fingernails, even. Look at his feet, same thing, they’re beautifully executed.

To inquire further about our Traveling Exhibitions or to receive a prospectus and checklist for specific exhibitions, contact travelingexhibitions@mfa…

RONNI BAER: When I first looked at this painting in the context of this exhibition, I asked myself, “How can we tell the difference between a mistress…

Images for use in original news stories and educational articles about the Museum

This is the first-ever exhibition dedicated to bapo (or “eight brokens”) painting, an innovative artistic genre that emerged in China during the mid-19th century.

Although frequently eclipsed in the public imagination by its northern neighbor Egypt, ancient Nubia has a long and glorious past. There, in what is today Sudan, a series of civilizations flourished for more than 6,000 years.

Large-scale decorative tattoos became one of the most eye-catching art forms of Japanese popular culture during the late Edo period (1615–1868). They first began to appear in cities such as Edo (modern Tokyo) and Osaka in the early 19th century.

Tiny is trendy: with tiny houses and minimalist movements encouraging people to live in smaller spaces with fewer belongings, small objects are attracting new attention.