Maebyeong with lotus decoration

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The effect of the delicately carved lotus design under the translucent celadon glaze is subtle. Literally meaning “plum bottle,” maebyeong is a shape inspired by contemporaneous and earlier Chinese vessels. Korean celadon maebyeong developed fuller forms: broad shoulders, as in this piece, or curvilinear contours, as in an example with cranes and clouds displayed nearby.

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