In American history, art was an important aspect of everyday life for the colonists. Their expressions of art came in many forms such as sculptures, paintings, dishes, quilts and metalwork. As showcased on some the collections, they used this artwork to express their views on certain problems they were faced with such as the Stamp Act teapot. For other pieces of artwork it was a way to show off wealth. The dishes and portraits in the collection displayed a form of wealth to colonists in this period of time. Today, arts displayed in homes are still shown as a form of wealth. Although modern art is much different than those shown in this collection, these various forms of art have influenced the art we create today.