Coffer in Nanban (Southern Barbarian) Style

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This coffer belongs to a category of Japanese goods known as namban (literally, southern barbarians) that were produced in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century for trade with Portugal and other European countries. The shape derives from European chests, while the decoration illustrates an awareness of Indian designs transmitted via such trade goods as lacquers and textiles.

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