Spouted water container (He

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The animal motifs on most Shang and Western Zhou bronzes are composites of different animals and birds, as if these creatures were undergoing a continuous metamorphosis. Here, bovine horns have been attached to a feline face. The same eight-character inscription is cast on the body of the vessel beneath the handle and on the inside of the lid: “[clan sign] Yi [have had] a precious sacred vessel made for deceased father.”

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