Article posted: 9/23/2012 6:00 AM

Maria Pinto exhibit at the Field celebrates visual beauty

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A brocaded Mongolian silk tunic is called a "deel." It was most likely worn during ceremonial occasions.

Courtesy of John Weinstein/THE FIELD MUSEUM

Cowries, the shells of a marine snail, have been valued for thousands of years all over the world. This headdress from Togo combines the smooth beauty of the shells with the horns of an antelope.

Courtesy of John Weinstein/THE FIELD MUSEUM

Hand-painted and trimmed in badger fur, this shirt was created by an unknown Sioux artist and was probably worn at Grass Dances.

Courtesy of John Weinstein/THE FIELD MUSEUM

About this Article

The Field Museum is dedicated to teaching guests about the world, putting every object it displays in context through a variety of informational signs. But "Fashion and the Field Museum Collection: Maria Pinto" is not your typical museum exhibit. This collection is only meant to be looked at within the context of visual beauty. “We’re trying to encourage people to look at these objects as objects of beauty, not in a cultural context,” said Janet Hong, project manager for exhibitions.