The MET Asian Art Collection
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses an exceptional collection of Asian ceramics that spans millennia, showcasing artifacts from ancient times to the modern era across China, Japan, Korea, and South and Southeast Asia.
This collection includes ancient Chinese ceramics, such as Neolithic pottery, Tang dynasty tri-color glazed ware, and progresses to the refined porcelains of the Ming and Qing dynasties, demonstrating a rich history of innovation and artistry.
* Five colors jar, Qing dynasty. The detailed depiction of birds and stones is impressive. The style that became popular during the Ming Wanli period was carried over to the Qing Dynasty.
* Blue and white dish, Qing Dynasty. It is a famous motif from the Qing Dynasty, featuring mountains, rivers, and figures. This type of porcelain gives the impression as if it is an landscape painting in rice paper. Even on the small tea saucers in our Ca Mau Ship collection, this type of landscape painting is often depicted.
* This is a Qing Dynasty wucai dish, its detailed depiction and the use of vacant space, which adds to its charm.
* It features a display that embodies the Chinoiserie style, which gained tremendous popularity in 17th and 18th century Europe. It is unclear whether the porcelain pieces are modern or from the Qing Dynasty.
* This is a Yue Celadon-Glazed Figural Vessel from the Western Jin dynasty (265-420). It represents a popular style of early celadon that was widely favored during that period and is often found in tombs. While there are some differences in the era, it is the same type of piece as the one in our collection.
* This piece is a Yue Globular Stoneware Jar, estimated to be from the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period. It represents a style that was highly popular during that time. 
* These are representative green-glazed pottery pieces from the Han Dynasty. Works with this type of glaze are commonly found in tombs. Over centuries of chemical reactions, the original deep green color of the surface gradually changes to a lighter green, and an iridescent effect also develops on the surface of the pieces. The glaze changes in this type of artworks are regarded as one of the decisive evidence proving its age, and in our collection, such chemical transformations can also be observed.
* These are various types of high-fired ceramics, primarily believed to be from the Tang Dynasty.
* This is a Tang Dynasty Changsha ware piece, which is quite rare in museums. The Singapore Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is renowned for its collection of Changsha ware from underwater discoveries. We can also compare it with the underwater Changsha ware pieces in our collection.
* This is a Song Dynasty Dingyao dish. This type of piece is renowned for its very neat and elegant appearance, a quality that remains unparalleled throughout Chinese history.
* These are 15-16th-century Vietnamese ceramics. After a large-scale auction of Vietnamese ceramics in California in the early 2000s, various prominent Asian museums across the United States have occasionally acquired and displayed ceramics from this period.
* The room is designed in the style of a 17th to early 18th-century French Versailles palace. During that time, the Chinoiserie style was popular, so it would have been more natural to display Chinese blue and white porcelain. However, the ceramics displayed in this room are European.
* In 17th-18th century Europe, placing ceramics on the mantel above the fireplace was a classic interior design choice.
* This is believed to be a Han Dynasty femail dancer pottery figure, discovered in a tomb. The natural surface changes over time add to the charm of the piece. Her movement, presumed to be that of a dancer, along with the flowing long sleeves and the way she flexes her knees, is striking.
* This is believed to be a Han Dynasty figure representing one of the 12 Zodiac animals, an important example of excavated pottery. It serves as a valuable artifact for studying surface changes and other characteristics over time.
* This is a 17th-18th century chest with exceptional handcrafted quality and a dazzling surface that caught my eye—it's a piece I personally wished to own. Regardless of the era, crafts infused with a master's skill and dedication always possess great value
On the first day of my trip to New York, Although I had to shortly browse and take photos due to time limit, I was able to appreciate the quality of the exhibits.
The MET boasts an extensive collection of artworks from various Asian dynasties. The museum’s ability to house such a diverse array of items from different eras and categories plays a crucial role in determining the quality of its collection.
While the depth of a museum’s collection is important, its breadth is key. By curating a wide-ranging collection, a museum not only educates and enriches its visitors‘ understanding of different historical contexts and cultural expressions but also highlights the interconnectedness of human creativity across ages.