Textile with confronted birds

Textile with confronted birds

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Although symmetry is a basic element of Chinese design, the motif of a pair of confronted animals or birds on either side of a plant was not known in China until the opening of the silk routes in the second century B.C. The pattern seen on this embroidery—birds standing on lotus blossoms (a motif derived from Buddhist art)—was popular in the early Tang period.

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.