Rank Badge with Lion

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

After 1662 the lion corresponded to the first military rank. Sometimes the bear (fifth military rank) looked very much like a lion. This animal, flames shooting from his body, appears on a background completely embroidered in gold on silk satin thread. The rock in the waves below was once covered with iridescent couched feather thread.

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