Metropolitan Museum of Art

In 1893 a poster advertising the April issue of Harper's Monthly Magazine appeared in newsstands and bookshops throughout the United States. The subject matter was unlike that of French posters of the period; this poster was modest and the style restrained…

China is a vast and populous country, moving rapidly on all fronts to prepare itself for life in the twenty-first century. Heir to a resplendent ancient culture, modern China is following a unique developmental path that evolves from this long and rich cultural tradition. Our understanding of the transformations in China today must be predicated upon an appreciation of this precious cultural legacy.

This volume catalogues for the first time more than six hundred bronze and iron objects in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each is illustrated and described and then discussed in terms of its formal and stylistic aspects, cultural background, function, and chronology. Bibliographic citations present comparative material relevant to each object. …

There has always been an important affinity between great museums and distinguished connoisseurs of art. It is a relationship of mutual enrichment but one of special importance to the museums, since traditionally they gain their finest treasures from enlightened and generous collectors. …

The riches of The Metropolitan Museum of Art are truly encyclopedic. Here we can see a statue from the very beginnings of civilization and moments later stand before a painting completed only last year. The extraordinary chronological range of the collections is matched by their geographical scope. …