Cup in Shape of Rhinoceros Horn

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This small cup, most likely intended for use on a scholar’s desk, is in the shape of a rhinoceros horn, a material that was widely used at the court and among the literati from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. The cup is decorated with appliquéd designs that include a slumped figure on one side, which may allude to the famous poet Li Bai (701–762), and on the other, a mythical qilin gazing at the moon.

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