Vase with Mythical Creature Chasing Pearl

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The wonderful beast painted on this vase appears at first glance to be a qilin, a mythical and composite creature that has the body of a deer and the head, horns, and hooves of a dragon. The feet of this creature, on the other hand, appear to be those of a large feline such as a lion or tiger, which makes a positive identification difficult.

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