Ewer with Parrots

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Introduced to China in the first and second century, tropical parrots from mainland and island Southeast Asia quickly became a motif in the decorative arts, valued for their exoticism and their purported ability to speak Chinese.

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