Herdboy with Water Buffalo

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cloisonné, a decorative technique by which colored enamels are fused in small compartments formed by fine wires on the surface of metalwork, was introduced to China from western Asia in the late thirteenth century. During the Qing dynasty, it enjoyed extensive popularity and was used for both large vessels and a variety of figures, including this herdboy playing a flute on the back of a water buffalo.

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