Tomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a Pavilion

Tomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a Pavilion

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Distinguished by her larger size, bird-shaped cap, and flowing gown, the figure seated at the far left represents Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West. Thought to rule the land of the immortals (located somewhere to the west of China), Xiwangmu played a major role in Han funerary beliefs. The structured placement of Xiwangmu and her attendants in the pavilion is typical of later Han representations of heavenly courts, which under the influence of Confucianism, began to parallel the organization of earthly ones.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a PavilionTomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a PavilionTomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a PavilionTomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a PavilionTomb Panel with Relief of Figures in a Pavilion

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.