Jar decorated with dragons

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This jar is decorated with two dragons pursuing a flaming jewel. The dragons are whimsically and dynamically rendered through energetic brushwork using iron-brown pigments rather than cobalt blue or copper red—colorants that were less readily available during the Joseon’s recovery after repelling invasions in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The jar’s buoyant, slightly asymmetrical silhouette is similar to that of so-called moon jars, undecorated white porcelain jars popular in the17th and 18th centuries.

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