Cabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, Tray

Cabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, Tray

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This personal cabinet for the pastime of comparing fragrances is decorated with motifs that evoke seasonal fragrances. On the nested boxes, the plum blossom evokes the delicate scent that gladdens winter and augurs spring. On the tray, summer pinks and mallow recall sharper fragrances, and the heady perfume of ripening grapes attracts a dragonfly on the outer cabinet, signaling the coming of autumn.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, TrayCabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, TrayCabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, TrayCabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, TrayCabinet for Incense, Nest of Boxes, Tray

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.