Rectangular cauldron (Fangding)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The most common decorative motif on Shang and early Western Zhou ritual bronzes is a stylized animal “mask” (taotie) with bulging eyes and curved horns. These masks are typically composed of two confronted profiles of the same animal.

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