The excellence achieved by Korean potters painting in underglaze iron is evident in a highly formal vase from the seventeenth century. Similar in shape to contemporaneous wares of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), it is ornamented with a depiction of the popular motif of plum and bamboo, framed by Chinese-style borders at the shoulder and foot. The fluency of the painting suggests that it was executed by a specialist, probably from the royal painting academy. The wide, thick portions of the bamboo leaves on this vase have been achieved with a layer of underglaze iron, which has burned through the clear glaze to form rust-colored areas that lend texture and volume to the painting.