White Porcelain Cheonghwasongjuginmulmun Jar

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.644

Category

Craft

Era

조선시대

Designated year

1978

Location

서대문구, 서울특별시— 서울 서대문구 이화여대길 52, 이화여자대학교박물관 (신촌동)

Coordinates

37.561700, 126.943700Museum-based location

In the beginning, blue-and-white porcelain (white porcelain with blue colored pictorial) was influenced by and patterned after pottery from the early days of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties of China. However, those that were created later escaped from the Chinese influence and developed a distinctive Korean flavor. The blue-and-white porcelain jar on display was made in the early Joseon Dynasty. Standing 47 cm tall, it has a short neck and raised shoulders, thereby creating a tense look. Its mouth is 15.4 cm in diameter and the bottom, 16.7 cm. The jar gets narrower in the lower portion and spreads wide like a trumpet at the heel. This is common among many blue-and-white porcelain jars from the early days of Joseon. The base of the jar has a round heel, which is carved in at the center. There is a picture of clouds just below a single horizontal line drawn above the neckline. Another horizontal line runs across near the heel. There is a picture of a pine tree and several bamboo trees facing each other on the body of the jar. Under the pine tree is a man with his chin resting on his arm on a table. Beneath the bamboo trees is a scholar taking a walk, followed by a youngster with a geomungo (six-stringed Korean zither). Because the style of the portrayal, that is the depiction and arrangement of people, is very similar to drawings from the late sixteenth century, it is presumed that this piece was produced at that time. The body of the jar has a white-gray earth base, painted with light blue ceramic enamel which has a quite excellent gloss. Although its heel has burst open in several places due to heat and there are traces of minor repairs along its mouth and heel, this is clearly among the masterpieces of the early days of the Joseon Dynasty.

Location