Bowl with Flowers and Waves

Bowl with Flowers and Waves

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The six Chinese characters on the bottom of this bowl read “made during the reign of the Chenghua Emperor.” Although the Chenghua Emperor ruled from 1467 to 1487, this particular bowl was made several centuries later. Chinese porcelains are sometimes inscribed with earlier dates; these can be read as both an act of respect toward past traditions and a statement of quality.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bowl with Flowers and WavesBowl with Flowers and WavesBowl with Flowers and WavesBowl with Flowers and WavesBowl with Flowers and Waves

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.