Twin boys

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The four bodies and two heads of this sculpture belong to four entwined boys—one pair seated and the other kneeling on all fours. The group represents the principle of ancient Chinese cosmology known as liangyi sheng sixiang, in which two primary forces (yin and yang) generate four images. The design, which can be read either vertically or horizontally, further exemplifies the artist’s familiarity with rotational symmetry.

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