The Collection at the BMA

Featured Works

Carlos Fernando FitzJames-Stuart, Marquess of Jamaica

A hanging scroll depicting a deer standing with a mirror on the saddle on its back. The mirror holds the images of five Buddhist deities. In the background is the Kasuga shrine in Nara. The deer is the symbol of the Shinto gods who live there.

Kasuga Shika Mandala

The Collection

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Broad oblong forged-iron blade with very slight concave curve terminates in a straight edge, which extends slightly beyond the oblong on either side (similar to silhouette of a bell); short, conical spike extends from straight edge of blade.

Currency Blade

  • Afo people, Nigeria, African
  • iron
Hide shield attached by leather strips to oval wooden frame; vertical wooden handle on back; patterns in blue, white, black, ochre, red pigments.

Shield

Abstract triptych

Bonjour Julie

Large multi-armed statue

Sarasvati

A lovely Yuan lacquered plate with two parrots playing amongst plants

Parrot Plate

A sculpture made up of six arms cast in fiberglass suspended from a frame attached to the ceiling. The arms belong to Tommie Smith the 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 200 meter race. The arms represent the gesture Tommie made when he received his medal in 1968; he wore a black glove and put his arm up in the air while making a fist to bring public attention to the ongoing struggle of African Americans in the United States of America.

Bridge (Section 1 of 6)

Cylindrical vessel with painted, rawhide interior and tanned white deer hide exterior; beaded imagery includes woman dangling from rope and two trees; stars and constellations in Swarovski crystals; porcupines, hands, ants, and portrait heads are in silver.

“Between Worlds” Beaded Parfleche Vessel

  • Teri Greeves, Kiowa people

Eunuch on Horseback, from a Tomb Figure Procession

Standing male power figure with bent arms resting on distended abdomen; below abdomen, figure is unarticulated block, partially covered by animal skin and waist ornaments (large bell and metal jangles attached to cord). Animal horn emerges vertically from top of head. Face has slitted, bulbous eyes, broad nose, protruding and slightly upturned open mouth, square beard. Necklace of glass beads, animal teeth, seed pods hangs from neck onto abdomen. Umbilical area has opening where medicinal materials once existed.

Male Power Figure (nkishi)

Linguist Staff Finial (okyeame poma), Akan group, Asante people, Ghana, African, wood and gold leaf

Linguist Staff Finial (okyeame poma)