Enfilade

Seated Ganesha, detail, 16th century, India (Odisha), ivory, 7 inches (18.4 cm) high
(New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 64.102)

◊   ◊   ◊   ◊   ◊

Now on view at The Met:

Ganesha: Lord of New Beginnings
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 19 November 2022 — 25 February 2024

Seated Four-Armed Ganesha, ca. 1775, India (Rajasthan, Bundi), ink and opaque watercolor on paper, 15 × 11 cm (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1977.440.15).

Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is a Brahmanical (Hindu) deity known to clear a path to the gods and remove obstacles in everyday life. He is loved by his devotees (bhakti) for his many traits, including his insatiable appetite for sweet cakes and his role as a dispenser of magic, surprise, and laughter. However, Ganesha is also the lord of ganas (nature deities) and can take on a fearsome aspect in this guise.

The seventh- to twenty-first-century works in this exhibition trace his depiction across the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia. Featuring 24 works in a variety of media—sculptures, paintings, musical instruments, ritual implements, and photographs— the exhibition emphasizes the vitality and exuberance of Ganesha as the bringer of new beginnings.

The exhibition is made possible by the Florence and Herbert Irving Fund for Asian Art Exhibitions.

Now on view at The Met:

Embracing Color: Enamel in Chinese Decorative Arts, 1300–1900
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2 July 2022 — 17 February 2025

Incense burner in the shape of a rooster / 清中期 掐絲琺瑯鷄形香薰, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95), second half 18th century, cloisonné enamel, 8 inches (21cm) high (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 29.110.41). A symbol of diligence and fortune, the rooster is a particularly popular Chinese decorative motif. The hollow body houses the burning incense and the detachable wings serve as the lid, with several small openings on the wings allowing the fragrant smoke to escape.

Enamel decoration is a significant element of Chinese decorative arts that has long been overlooked. This exhibition reveals the aesthetic, technical, and cultural achievement of Chinese enamel wares by demonstrating the transformative role of enamel during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. The first transformational moment occurred in the late 14th to 15th century, when the introduction of cloisonné enamel from the West, along with the development of porcelain with overglaze enamels, led to a shift away from a monochromatic palette to colorful works. The second transformation occurred in the late 17th to 18th century, when European enameling materials and techniques were brought to the Qing court and more subtle and varied color tones were developed on enamels applied over porcelain, metal, glass, and other mediums. In both moments, Chinese artists did not simply adopt or copy foreign techniques; they actively created new colors and styles that reflected their own taste. The more than 100 objects on view are drawn mainly from The Met collection.

Rotation 1 | 2 July 2022 — 30 April 2023
Rotation 2 | 20 May 2023 — 24 March 2024
Rotation 3 | 13 April 2024 — 17 February 2025