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Open Content Program

The Birmingham Museum of art makes available digital images of works in the Museum’s collection believed to be in the public domain. Images are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial. Users do not need to contact the Museum for authorization to use these images. They are available through the Online Collection at artsbma.org/collection. See detailed instructions for specific work types below.

Identifying Open Content Images

The mission of the Birmingham Museum of Art is to spark the creativity, imagination, and liveliness of Birmingham by connecting all its citizens to the experience, meaning, and joy of art. The Museum understands that by sharing images of works online without restrictions, the BMA collection becomes more accessible to a larger audience.

For objects with images the rights status is displayed in the “credit line” section of the object information. The rights status or rights holder will be indicated. If the work is in the public domain and/or the image may be downloaded, the download icon will appear in the bottom right corner of the image area. To search the collection click here.

Works With Restrictions

For copyright-protected images that have been approved by copyright holders, a presentation-sized image is available, but can not be downloaded. A copyright statement clearly listing the name of the copyright holder is visible in the credit line area when the image is displayed. Thumbnail-sized images of copyrighted works are displayed under fair use.

When the owner of a work is impossible to determine or contact, the work is deemed an orphan work. The Museum will make thumbnails of orphan works available. If you are the representative or rights holder of an orphan work, please contact Rights and Reproductions.

Credit/Citations

Please use the following source credit when reproducing an Open Content image: Courtesy Birmingham Museum of Art, followed by the credit line provided in the object description.

Although there are no restrictions or conditions of the use of an Open Content image, the BMA would appreciate a gratis copy of any scholarly publication(s) in which the images are reproduced in order to maintain collection bibliography. Copies may be sent to the attention of:

Open Content Program
Digital Media Department
The Birmingham Museum of Art
2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd
Birmingham, AL 35203

Disclaimer

  • If an image is not available under Open Content it may be because the work is still under copyright, the work is not owned by the museum, or the work has not yet been photographed to BMA standards.
  • Request Images: If an image of a work is not available online or is under copyright, you may submit a request through our online request form. You may also request files in additional sizes or formats. A fee will be charged for this service.
  • Our determination of public domain is made in good faith.
  • Electronic records are based on historical information and may not be the Museum’s complete or current knowledge about an object. Research is ongoing.
  • The ‘On View’ status may be delayed on the website by 24 hours. Please check with our Rights and Registration Office to confirm that a work of art will be on view before traveling to the Museum.
  • For additional details and additional terms of use, please see the Birmingham Museum of Art’s Terms of Use Page
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Quilt, “Sixteen-Patch” and “Stars” patterns

Dennis Jones

Before 1988

See More of the Collection

Snake quilt, found in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, white and red with prints for snakes, blue outing/flannel lining
Zigzag quilt, blue and white, Manhattan shirt cuffs
Large parlor sofa of laminated and carved rosewood in the so-called "Fountain Elms" pattern, with curved back of scrolling cornucopia leading to an urn with roses and other flowers at the center crest rail above a basket of flowers, scrolling foliage and birds with bunches of grapes at each side with similar basket of flowers, scrolled armrests and cabriole legs, the seat rail with carved flowers at center, on casters, with modern red silk damask upholstery.
Large bedcovering, or quilt top, of English cotton chintzes and stripes, and copperplate printed fabrics, with dozens of individual leaves, flowers and birds fastened with buttonhole stitches to a white ground in an applique method known as "broderie perse," the main design forms the Tree of Life pattern with an oversized parrot perched on a limb at the top of the tree, the trunk springs from a bowl containing two ovals of copperplate-printed fabric with the inscription on one reading, "Whittingdon at Holloway hearing bowbells ring," and "Turn down Whittingdon, Lord Mayor of Great London," and on the other, "Whittingdon presents his cat a V--," and "Whittingdon brought Poor Puss and delivered her to the captain with tears in his eyes," embroidered grape clusters are paired with long-beaked birds with appliqued heads and wings, four additional birds fly in the background, each corner of the central medallion is decorated with a different composition of flowers and leaves, the border appliqued of flowers and leaves between one single striped and one double striped border, the outermost border in reverse applique with scrolls, leaves and flowers, and finished with a final frame of four stripes.