Square tray with birds in a garden

Square tray with birds in a garden

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This complicated decorative composition features two pairs of pheasants and sparrows and a background of fruit trees, flowers, and a stylized rock, a sign of an upscale garden. These motifs represent wishes for longevity, riches, and worldly success. The lacquer is built of red layers over yellow ones, and the artist carved to varying depths to expose the colors. An interest in bright color combinations, also found in ceramics and textiles, characterizes the art of the late Ming dynasty.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Square tray with birds in a gardenSquare tray with birds in a gardenSquare tray with birds in a gardenSquare tray with birds in a gardenSquare tray with birds in a garden

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.