Vase with Plum Blossoms and Birds

Vase with Plum Blossoms and Birds

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Recent studies have suggested that large vases with black backgrounds such as this were produced in the late nineteenth century to meet rising demand from collectors in Europe and the United States. The resurgence of interest in vases with this color scheme remains difficult to explain; however, it may have been spurred by an interest in Japanese lacquer, which is also often characterized by the use of a black background.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Vase with Plum Blossoms and BirdsVase with Plum Blossoms and BirdsVase with Plum Blossoms and BirdsVase with Plum Blossoms and BirdsVase with Plum Blossoms and Birds

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.