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Late Choson Porcelains

The fall of the Chinese Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and the establishment of the Manchu Qing dynasty (1644–1911) in the mid-seventeenth century compelled Choson intellectuals to question the pervasive influence of Chinese thought and culture in Korean society. This development led to an increasing interest in Korea’s native traditions. Ceramics were included in this reassessment, and a vigorous exploration of new shapes, techniques, and decorations continued well into the nineteenth century.

The gentle profile and tall, straight lip of a vase with underglaze cobalt-blue decoration are common features of Korean porcelains from the latter part of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The skillful painting as well as the style of border decoration suggest that the vase was produced at the royal kilns. A variety of high-quality objects, such as the peach-shaped water dropper, were made for use by the scholar-official class. This small object, an indispensable implement for the scholar's studio, combines sculpture, relief decoration, and painting in underglaze cobalt-blue and copper-red.

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