Box with Scenes of a Departure

Box with Scenes of a Departure

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Images of gentlemen traveling in the evening are common in Chinese pictorial lacquers, and it is possible that pearl shell was understood to be an appropriate medium for the depiction of a moonlit landscape. The vase and other vessels in the pavilion at left illustrate shapes found earlier in ceramics and metalwork and reflect the fascination with elegant living often found in the arts of the late Ming period.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Box with Scenes of a DepartureBox with Scenes of a DepartureBox with Scenes of a DepartureBox with Scenes of a DepartureBox with Scenes of a Departure

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.