Tengu Hatching from an Egg

Tengu Hatching from an Egg

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of representation of the birth of the mythical creature known as tengu, was most favored by netsuke carvers. The image of the small tengu breaking the shell of its egg is rendered particularly vivid through the use of red lacquer.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tengu Hatching from an EggTengu Hatching from an EggTengu Hatching from an EggTengu Hatching from an EggTengu Hatching from an Egg

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.