Cherry-Blossom and Maple-Leaf Viewing

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Outings to enjoy blossoming cherry trees and the turning colors of maple leaves have been cherished seasonal activities in Japan since ancient times. In the screen at right, where spring cherry blossoms are at their peak, aristocratic women have arrived by carriage. The ladies, with their long hair and voluminous silk garments, look almost anachronistic, while the men, other women, and children are dressed in colorful contemporary fashion. A lady of the palace sits composing a poem while her attendants relax, some enjoying sake. The central figures in the screen at left, an autumn scene with red maples, are court noblemen, warriors, and merchants; even Buddhist monks join the merrymaking. Long pipes such as the one shown in the second panel from the right began to appear prominently in genre paintings after tobacco was introduced to Japan in the late sixteenth century.

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