Chair Strip

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Unlike upholstered furniture, chairs in China were covered only temporarily with textiles, such as this silk tapestry (kesi) chair strip, designed and woven specifically as a chair covering. The lobed floral medallion was positioned on the seat of the chair, and the four-clawed dragon (mang) adorned the back. At the top of the strip, the crane is upside down because that short portion was meant to hang down behind the chair.

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