Dish

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This dish illustrates a range of Chinese plants, including peonies, narcissus, and orchids. The presence of differently colored blooms on the same peony branch shows evidence of grafting, a practice that was described in China as early as 1034. Although originally made for a Chinese private commission, such dishes would have appealed to Western traders interested in natural history, who acquired plants from local markets and nurseries. By capturing these flowers in enamel, such a dish might have provided a more secure means of bringing home botanical knowledge.

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