Eight landscapes

Lu Han

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Almost nothing is known of Lu Han, the painter of this album, but the style of the landscapes indicates he studied the work of his contemporary Wang Hui (1632–1717). The album is notable for the layers of significance encoded in the images: not only is each leaf in the style of a different well-known painter, but many of them also depict historical events, such as the fourth-century Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion, or famous works of literature, such as the “Ode to the Pavilion of the Inebriated Old Man” by Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072).

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