Written in cobalt blue on the bottom of this jar is a single Chinese character (Korean: chung). Even after the Korean alphabet, known as hangeul, was created in 1443, official court documents and writings by literati continued to use Chinese characters.
Chung probably refers to Chunghūi-dang, a building (now lost) within the Ch’angdōk palace complex in modern Seoul that King Gojong (r. 1864–1907) used to receive foreign envoys.
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a only
detail of inscription at bottom
Artwork Details
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백자 항아리 조선 白磁壺 朝鮮
Title:Jar
Period:Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Date:first half of the19th century
Culture:Korea
Medium:Porcelain
Dimensions:H. 9 in. (22.9 cm); Diam. 10 in. (25.4 cm); Diam. of rim 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm); Diam. of foot 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Classification:Ceramics
Credit Line:Seymour Fund, 1965
Accession Number:65.1.1a, b
Marking: Bottom, underglaze blue
[ William H. Wolff , New York, until 1965; sold to MMA]
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Exhibition in memory of Aschwin Lippe," 1989.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Korea," January 14, 2005–October 29, 2006.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Birds and Flowers," November 1, 2006–April 29, 2007.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Buddhist Paintings from the Koryō Dynasty (918–1392)," May 8–October 22, 2007.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Maebyông," October 30, 2007–March 3, 2008.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Contemplations on the Moon Jar," November 16, 2009–April 25, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Korea," May 19–November 7, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Representation/Abstraction in Korean Art," November 23, 2010–March 20, 2011.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Korean Art," June 8–November 11, 2012.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Expressions of Nature in Korean Art," April 2–September 18, 2016.
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