Brush washer

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The combination of thicker dark lines and thinner brown lines seen in the glaze on this brush washer is known as “gold thread and iron wire.” This type of glazing is one of the characteristics of Ge ware, which is thought to have been produced in the Hangzhou region, possibly in the same kilns that made the Guan, or official, ware for the court. The surface design is also an allusion to the rare, imperial Ru ware of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), revered for the lush crackle in its glaze.

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