Mirror with fantastic animals amid grape vines

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fantastic animals amid grape vines are one of the most popular decorative themes on Tang mirrors. The motif of figures amid scrolling vines can be traced to Roman art; the theme of imaginary animals may also draw inspiration from Persian art.

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