Bottle in Meiping Shape with “Tortoiseshell” Glaze

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of many glaze effects re-created in Japan and in the West, “tortoiseshell” decoration is created by applying an iron-rich slip to a ceramic body and then covering the slip with an iron-rich glaze. During firing, the glaze melts and separates and the iron bubbles to the surface to create the dramatic design.

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