Jar with floral scrolls and wrapped-cloth design (one of a pair)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the early decades of the eighteenth century, artists developed a new palette of opaque enamels that could produce novel decorative effects. In this example, the design mimics the appearance of a vessel with a fine textile tied around it, alluding to the East Asian practice of wrapping gifts in textiles. Wrapped-cloth (baofu) designs were also found on lacquer objects of the period.

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