Inrō with Geometric Pattern

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Although the pearl-shell motifs scattered over the surface of this inro appear floral, the lattice-like structure also identifies the design as an abstract representation of nets. Such a repetitive pattern over the entire surface may reflect the use of stencils to decorate Japanese textiles with small, repetitive patterns by the resist-dye technique, a tradition that flourished in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

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