Tea Caddy

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of decoration in contrasting fields of black and gold filled with floral motifs such as the chrysanthemum and paulownia is associated with the Kodai-ji temple, where a memorial shrine was dedicated to the shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi by his widow in 1605 or 1606. Appreciated for its colorful effects and naturalistic drawing, the Kodai-ji style continued in use well into the Edo period.

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