Brush Pot with King Wen and the Scholar Jiang Taigong

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The widespread literacy that marked the late sixteenth century and the concurrent flowering of woodblock-printed books had a significant impact on Chinese porcelain produced between the late sixteenth and the mid-seventeenth century, helping to spread historical tales such as that of the visit of an ancient king to a famous scholar.

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