Page 87 - Symbols_of_Identity_Korean_Ceramics_from the Chang Collection
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65. his short-necked jar has a bulbous body that tapers to-
Jar Twards the foot. It is painted on the top half, in dark blue
Late 19th–early 20th century, Joseon cobalt, with two bold floral motifs, probably peonies, with
TL results: fired between 150 & 250 years ago wide spreading leaves that join the two motifs at the sides. The
Porcelain with underglaze cobalt decoration base is glazed and has adhesions of kiln grit where it meets
H: 14.5 cm, W: 16.5 cm the foot. Both the footrim and lip of the jar have been wiped
free of glaze before firing. A few firing scars are located on
the side of the jar.
The blue pigment on this jar is darker than what one would
usually expect. The Bunwon kilns, the official kilns of the
Joseon dynasty, lost royal support in 1883, and the potteries
continued exclusively in a private capacity. Japanese potters
were invited to work at the kilns and introduced technology
that was not used before in Korea, such as transfer printing. 1
Judging by the rough quality of this jar, it was probably made
at a provincial kiln rather than the Bunwon kilns. However,
provincial potters may have used imported material or tech-
nology that was being introduced from Japan in producing
the unusual blue pigment on this jar.
The fact that the decoration is painted only on the upper
half of the jar suggests that it was meant to be placed in a low
position—where the decoration can be fully seen from above.
The unglazed lip indicates this jar probably originally had
a lid. The firing scars on the jar show where another object
was in contact with the vessel during firing and had to be
pulled off after cooling.
1 G. St. G. M. Gompertz, Korean Pottery and Porcelain of the Yi Period (New York: Frederick A.
Praeger, 1968), 67.
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