Plate with fish

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Close examination of the cobalt blue used to paint this dish shows areas of darker blue. Known as “heaped and piled,” this effect is a result of imperfect control of the pigment during firing. This effect disappeared in the early fifteenth century, when potters further mastered the use of this pigment.

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