Pair of Manuscript Covers

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

These wood covers for a palm-leaf manuscript (ola) are illustrated with scenes of the Buddha's mahaparanirvana, his great passing into nirvana at the moment of his mortal death. Finely decorated manuscripts were routinely commissioned by devout laity and presented to monasteries as a merit-earning act.

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