Cup in the shape of a magnolia blossom

Cup in the shape of a magnolia blossom

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The rhinoceros was once widespread in China, but by the first century A.D. it had become an exotic species whose skin was sought after to make armor and whose horns were carved into drinking cups. During the Tang dynasty (618–907), rhinoceros horns were imported into China along with other foreign goods, such as pearls, sandalwood, and camphor. Elaborate rhinoceros-horn cups for drinking wine and other libations were produced widely from the sixteenth century onward.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cup in the shape of a magnolia blossomCup in the shape of a magnolia blossomCup in the shape of a magnolia blossomCup in the shape of a magnolia blossomCup in the shape of a magnolia blossom

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.