Hand-towel Rack (Tenugui kake) with Chrysanthemums and Meandering Stream

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The motif of chrysanthemums on a stream recalls the auspicious story of a mythical Chinese river whose water, sweetened by dewdrops from the chrysanthemums growing alongside it, imparts eternal life to anyone who drinks it. The lacquered surface of this small rack is decorated in the “pear skin” (nashiji) technique, in which small flecks of sprinkled gold densely cover the ground area. The rack must have been made as part of a wedding trousseau, as it features two superimposed family crests, one of plum blossoms and the other of nine stars.

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