Bird on a Branch

Unkei Eii

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This work features dry and spontaneous brushwork that captures the moment a small bird (a titmouse) has alighted on a wizened branch. The brusque calligraphy by Daitokuji temple prelate Daiko Shōkaku cites a verse by the well-known Zen monk-poet Son’an (Kisei Reigen, 1402–1488). The poem reads: In the forest, when evening comes birds retire and nest together. Coupled birds remain in flight, their joined wings letting them soar, not looking for a place to spend the night. —Translation after Miyeko Murase

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