Flags are so everywhere, so ever-present that we often barely notice them. But focused through a collector’s vision and a photographer’s eye, the gold old red, white, and blue brings a smile, a memory, a tear and a lump to our throats. The flag is more than a symbol; it is art, and here we 200 artist’s and designer’s renditions of the ultimate symbol of freedom.

Mary Emmerling, décor expert, style maker, and queen of antiques fairs and festivals, is the author of more than 30 books on American country decorating and collecting. Her most recent books (done with Jim Arndt) include Art of the Buckle, Art of the Heart and Art of the Skull. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.