Brush holder decorated with garden scene

Brush holder decorated with garden scene

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Features such as the gourd held by a standing attendant, the peach blossom clasped by another, and the individual riding on the back of a deer suggest that the figures on this brush holder represent tales of people who visited the mountains, inadvertently entered other realms, and transgressed time, respectively. The two gentlemen playing chess may refer to a story about two individuals who played the game for so long that the eggs they had in their pockets disintegrated.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Brush holder decorated with garden sceneBrush holder decorated with garden sceneBrush holder decorated with garden sceneBrush holder decorated with garden sceneBrush holder decorated with garden scene

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.