Cup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragons

Cup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragons

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The jutting lip of this cup derives from the shape of a ritual bronze vessel created during China’s Bronze Age. Some of the linear interlocked decoration on the middle section of the piece is also loosely based on the decorative imagery of that period, which was widely known through illustrations in antiquarian catalogues and collector’s manuals.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragonsCup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragonsCup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragonsCup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragonsCup in the shape of an archaic vessel with feline dragons

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.