Snuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Snuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Represented often in the visual arts, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove lived during the third century B.C. and were known for their scholarship, writing, and musical abilities. They are understood as exemplars of an unfettered and less corrupt lifestyle removed from the intrigue of the court. Here, the delicacy of the tiny bamboo stalks in the background and the use of these stalks to render depth exemplify the skillful bamboo carving characteristic of the eighteenth century.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Snuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo GroveSnuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo GroveSnuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo GroveSnuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo GroveSnuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

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.