Pillow with boy on hobbyhorse

Zhang family workshop

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hobbyhorses appear in Chinese painting and decorative arts as early as the twelfth century. It is possible that this popular children’s toy, which is also sometimes cited as the precursor of the bicycle, was invented in China and spread from there to the Western world.

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