Three Crows in Flight

Three Crows in Flight

Shibata Zeshin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A simple yet alluring composition by Zeshin captures a trio of crows in flight, with a sense of perspective conveyed by varying the tones of ink. The artist often took up the subject of crows, as seen also in the two-panel gold-leaf screen with three crows and two egrets. This painting is signed “Zeshin,” and has an oval seal reading “Tairyūkyo” (living facing the willows).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.