Page from the Collection of Poems by Lady Ise (Ise shū)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Elegant strands of kana calligraphy in varying ink tones impart a sense of subtle rhythmic movement to this page of decorated paper. Printed in mica with impressed floral patterns and stylized peacocks, the paper was then further embellished with printed silver designs of pine branches, various other plants, and abstractly rendered birds in flight. The page was originally part of a set of personal poetry collections of thirty-six famous poets from ancient to Heian times, referred to as the Nishi-Honganji Edition of the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals (Nishi-Honganji-bon Sanjūrokunin kashū).

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