Ema (Votive Painting) of Chinese Lion and Peony Tree

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This ema was donated by eight people, whose names run along the bottom of the tablet. On either side of the lion is inscribed: This ema is respectfully presented on the twenty-fifth day of the third month of the year 1649. Across the top, as if winding through the peony branch, is the phrase, “may our desires be granted.”

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art