Pillow with a falcon attacking a swan

Pillow with a falcon attacking a swan

Zhang family workshop

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The spring hunt and a related autumnal event were integral to the yearly cycle of the Jurchen, a nomadic people from the northeast who controlled much of northern China as the Jin dynasty. The motif of a tiny hawk capturing a much larger swan (or goose) was found in jade, textiles, and ceramics produced during their rule.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pillow with a falcon attacking a swanPillow with a falcon attacking a swanPillow with a falcon attacking a swanPillow with a falcon attacking a swanPillow with a falcon attacking a swan

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.