Two Tengu Carrying a Parcel

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The tengu were originally thought to take the form of birds of prey and were depicted with both human and bird characteristics. The beaks of the earliest representations were later humanized as unnaturally long noses. This netsuke of a pair of winged creatures carrying a heavy load wrapped in textile, offers a fascinating glimpse of some of the most represented characters in Japanese folklore.

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