Running in 12-year cycles, each year of the traditional East Asian lunar calendar corresponds to one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. With the Chinese New Year on February 10, 2024, we welcome the Year of the Dragon.
The dragon is one of the most ubiquitous motifs in Chinese art. It indicates the cardinal direction east; bears associations with water; is an emblem of imperial rule; and serves as a symbol of protection, happiness, and fertility. As the only mythological beast in the zodiac, the dragon is also one of its most auspicious creatures, said to herald a year of ambition, courage, and opportunity.
Celebrate the dragon in 2024 and beyond with these inspired multicultural designs at The Met Store.
Junzi Year of the Dragon Celebration Chili Oils and Dry-Aged Tea Set
Our latest collaboration with Junzi, shoppable at The Met Fifth Avenue and on Junzi's website, honors the Year of the Dragon with potent chili oils and a jar of dry-aged tangerine tea, all presented in limited-edition packaging inspired by The Met collection.
Each container features a detail from an embroidered medallion made in the 16th century during China’s Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Contemporary records note that members of the imperial family wore dragon medallions, and this richly embroidered roundel was probably meant to decorate a robe.
Bohemian Dragon Jewelry
This statement-making jewelry pays homage to the magnificent artistry of a ewer—a kind of vase-shaped pitcher—in The Met’s European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries.
The fantastical tails and scales that form the ewer’s base support a smoky rock-crystal basin, fiercely protected by a gold, enamel, and diamond dragon, whose serpentine form creates a handle.
When the ewer entered the Museum’s collection in 1982, careful examination of its design and technical assembly determined that it was originally produced around 1680 in the Bohemian workshop of Ferdinand Eusebio Miseroni (Italian, active Prague, working 1656–84), with its gold mounts added much later in Paris during the early 19th century. Learn more about the history of this striking piece and how our designers transformed it into wearable artworks in our blog post.
William Morris Peacock and Dragon Accessories
Both the William Morris Peacock and Dragon Square Silk Scarf and matching Oversize Structured Tote celebrate a textile designed in 1878 by the incomparable William Morris (British, 1834–1896).
Morris was inspired by the fanciful beasts in medieval tapestries, as exemplified in this kaleidoscopic motif of confronted peacocks and stylized dragons. We've amplified the muted colors of Morris's original textile with a refreshing palette of vibrant hues.
Chinese Dragon Mug and Tea Set
Showcasing a detail from an extraordinary Chinese dish (early 16th century) in The Met collection, this set includes a tea-infusing covered mug and a tin of Porcelain Dragons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea from our collaboration with Harney & Sons (also sold separately).
This warming elixir of black tea, orange peel, cinnamon, and cloves references the fiery might of the dragons painted on the Ming dynasty–era (1368–1644) creation in the Museum's holdings. The trend of cobalt blue paint on white porcelain flowered in China during the 14th century, after which it was adapted by potters through the centuries and around the world.
De Morgan Stylized Dragons Tableware
This striking collection for the home adapts the imagery on a brilliantly embellished plate (ca. 1890–1907) by William De Morgan (British, 1839–1917) for Sands End Pottery (British).
Having kicked off his career painting stained glass for William Morris, De Morgan developed a keen eye for color; he produced glazes with richer, softer hues than his contemporaries, and became known for his "Persian-style" pottery bearing Iznik influences.
The designer was particularly fond of dragons, which he used to anchor the harmonizing motifs on this ceramic creation in The Met collection. Click here to learn more about De Morgan and his eye-catching ceramic creations.
Chinese Dragons Nested Rolling Wooden Toys
These adorable wooden dragons come from a Chinese incense burner dated 1564 and housed at The Met.
The dragons painted on the Museum's porcelain treasure are pictured chasing a pearl. An inscription indicates that the jar was offered by members of a Wu family to the Temple of the Lord of the Black Heaven, an immortal figure in Daoist traditions, for peace and protection.
Visit us in-store at The Met Fifth Avenue or shop online at store.metmuseum.org.
