Leaf-Shaped Box

Leaf-Shaped Box

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This box made for an elite patron presents the god Vishnu, in carved aquamarine, in a field of emeralds. The lid was made in a Nepalese workshop, while the gold box was manufactured in Tibet. The object speaks for a seamless integration of Hindu deities with the Tibetan pantheon.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.