Dutchman with a Rooster

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The “Southern Barbarian” (Nanban) Dutchman netsuke were developed at a time when few Japanese had encountered foreigners. The cock is a possible reference to the Dutch colony’s pastime of cockfighting.

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