Thomas M. Stell Jr.'s intense interest in design is evident in the bold, hard-edged contours of his young sitter's body and the highly ornate background. The stillness and frozen quality of the composition recall the artist's reverence for early Italian and Northern Renaissance paintings, which he saw during his European studies.

Théodore Gentilz created some of the earliest known scenes of Texas, such as this detailed architectural study of Mission San José, San Antonio's most celebrated mission. He first came to the state in 1844 as a surveyor for the colony organized by Henri Castro, which became present-day Castroville.

The following essay is from the 1989 publication American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, by Charles L. Venable.

A splat refers to the central, vertical members of a chair back, generally shaped or pierced.

This chair, with its turned stretchers joining the legs, baluster-shaped turnings under the arms, and woven rush seat, suggests earlier chairmaking traditions.

The following essay is from the 1989 publication American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, by Charles L. Venable.

This pua sungkit, dyed the deepest bur­gundy with images of deities bursting forth like flames of white fire devouring rotting corpses, is called Menyeti Lebur Api Mansau Tisi Dilah Kendawang, or “the Beautiful White Heat with Deep Red Edges like the Tongue of the Krait.” It is arguably one of the most sought-after Iban cloths in exist

This mawa' is curiously folded and stitched to form a double loop, shorter at the top and longer at the bottom, such that a central panel is displayed in the middle of the bottom portion.

This mawa' is executed in dark brown with a rose blush on handmade cotton fabric. Its central rondel depicts the goddess Indo' Samadenna (Mother All There Is) with her golden spinning wheel. Also known as the mythical lady of the moon, she is accompanied by a cockerel and surrounded by constellations.