Vase with Flowering Plum

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A harbinger of spring, the flowering plum is a traditional motif in Chinese art. The lively branch here was created by covering the surface of the vase with wax or some other resist before covering it with a glaze. This technique is typical of the art of the Jizhou kilns, located in the southeast in Jiangxi Province and noted for their experimentation with surface decoration as well as for their tea bowls. Unlike many other ceramic types, Jizhou wares were not exported to other countries.

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