Velvet Panel

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Velvet panels such as this example were sewn together to form a complete pattern and then used as decorative hangings or carpets. Here, the concentric bands of ornament consist, from left to right, of lotuses, foliate dragons, chrysanthemums, and a continuous fretwork incorporating the swastika—a form of the auspicious character wan, signifying ten thousand years.

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