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Jar, mid-15th
century; Choson dynasty (1392–1910)
Korean
Porcelain with underglaze cobalt-blue decoration of plum and bamboo;
H. 16 12/8 in. (41 cm)
Ho-Am Art Museum, Yongin
National Treasure no. 219
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Vessels of this type were decorated
with cobalt oxide, which was applied with a brush. Once the vessel
was formed on a potter’s wheel, the cobalt was ground into
a powder and then mixed with water. The pigment, silver-gray color
at this stage, was then painted on the surface of the unfired vessel,
probably by a skilled painter and not by the potter who shaped the
jar. After the painting was completed, the entire object was covered
with a clear glaze and fired at a temperature high enough to fuse
the body and mature the glaze. The cobalt turned a deep, rich blue
color, forming an attractive contrast to the white clay body beneath.
This type of decorated ceramic is also known as blue-and-white ware.
The refinement of the materials
of this jar, the skill with which the jar was formed, and the elegance
of the painted design—as well as the cost of the imported cobalt
mineral—all suggest that this jar, probably intended as a storage
container or vase, may have been made for use at the royal court.
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