Bowl with “Oil-Spot” Design

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Oil-spot” decoration is created by applying an iron-rich slip to the stoneware body of a vessel and then covering the slip with an iron-rich glaze. During firing, the glaze melts and separates and an iron-rich layer forms that bubbles to the top to create the dramatic and lush design.

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