Vase with Elephant Handles

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

By the tenth century the Chinese had mastered the techniques necessary to manipulate glazes, a knowledge that was refined further in the eighteenth century with the development of new colors and effects. Many of these glazes have poetic names in Chinese, French (due to early French record-keeping of the porcelain industry), and, at times, English translation. The "tea-dust" glaze on this vase can be traced to green celadon glazes and recalls the patina of ancient bronzes.

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