Page from a Dispersed Romance of Chandrabhanu and Lavanyavati

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In India, palm leaves were utilized as book pages during the medieval period. By the fiftheenth century, paper had largely supplanted them. In Orissa, however, the ancient tradition continues to this day. Because of their perishability, early Orissan pages are rare.

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