Freshwater Jar (Mizusashi)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Excavations of Momoyama-period urban residential sites show mixtures of wares from various kilns, including Bizen, Mino, and Iga, demonstrating the expanding market for domestic ceramics. Although the actual movement of potters between kilns was regulated and restricted, imitations of other wares, including Iga, have been found in Mino. The potters at the Motoyashiki kiln there emulated the irregular form, rustic surface texture, incidental dents, and “ear” lugs that characterize Iga ceramics. Whimsical Mino-Iga water jars like this one were popular in the early seventeenth 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