Pillow with Peonies

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The small circles that fill the background derive from the same pattern in metalwork, particularly silver, where they are known as ring matting. The use of this pattern to decorate the background of the pillow illustrates one aspect of the ongoing exchange between metalwork and ceramics in China.

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