Wine container (Hu)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A significant change took place in bronze décor during the middle of the Han dynasty, when depictions of landscape and animals were either painted or incised rather than cast. Incised decoration not only points to a change in aesthetics, but also reflects the development of iron tools, which made engraving bronze surfaces possible.

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