Tiered box

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the sixteenth century, there was a general decline in the quality of official wares in all media, including cloisonné. The enamels tend to be duller in color and the patterns appear to be less refined in comparison to the works from the previous century. In the last century of effective Ming-dynasty rule, official workshops were beginning to be run more like commercial enterprises with attention centered on productivity and efficiency.

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