White Porcelain Jar with Carp Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue

Blue-and-white porcelain was first developed in China's Yuan dynasty in the first half of the 14th century, and the blue designs painted on the white porcelain surface have an atmosphere reminiscent of ink-wash painting. In Korea, this type of porcelain began to be produced in the mid-15th century, and is characterised by a realistic painting style. This white porcelain jar with a carp design in underglaze cobalt blue is 24.7 cm high, with a mouth diameter of 8.1 cm and a base diameter of 12.4 cm; the mouth curves inward and is not very wide. The shoulder begins full and rounded, narrows toward the lower body, and then flares out again at the foot, a characteristic form of early Joseon ware. On the body, flowers form a diamond-shaped border, within which fish are painted with lifelike realism: carp and minnows swim among waterweeds in an underwater scene, while a dense lotus-scroll design fills the area outside the floral border, following the same composition seen on Chinese blue-and-white porcelain of the Ming dynasty. The glaze has a greyish-white tone tinged with blue, and the wall of the jar is somewhat thick. By skilfully varying the density of the cobalt-blue pigment, this piece achieves an especially painterly effect. It is thought to have been made at a state-controlled kiln in the Gwangju area of Gyeonggi Province, and is an outstanding example of the pictorial quality of early Joseon porcelain.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물