Ritual Vessel of Lotus Form

Ritual Vessel of Lotus Form

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The vessel is globular in form, set on a pedestal stand. All of its surfaces have raised decoration: the body is filled with a beautifully realized pattern of overlapping petals with chased details, and the shoulder and foot have a lotus petal and dart band. The collar of the vessel and its stem foot are marked bands of raised beads, understood to evoke pearls. It had two ring handles riveted to the shoulder at some later point in its history, of which one remains intact.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.