Small chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insects

Small chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insects

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This chest is an excellent example of an early twentieth-century lacquer box with allover mother-of-pearl decoration. The incised floral motifs filled with black ink or charcoal make the piece particularly striking. The shape, size, and compartments suggest that this chest held writing or cosmetic paraphernalia.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Small chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insectsSmall chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insectsSmall chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insectsSmall chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insectsSmall chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insects

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.