Wellhead with Bucket

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Most extant Han dynasty pottery consists of tomb furnishings such as this model of a wellhead. Often, these low-fired wares were embellished with a lead glaze with copper added to produce a green color. The silvery iridescence on the surface of this piece is the result of the degradation of the glaze after centuries of burial in a damp environment.

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