Celadon Bottle with Inlaid Lotus, Scroll, and Dragon Design in Underglaze Copper

This celadon bottle, made in the late Goryeo period, stands 38.3 cm high, with a mouth diameter of 6.9 cm and a base diameter of 12 cm. It has a long, upright neck and a mouth that flares slightly outward. The body widens gradually from the shoulder, reaching its greatest width at the lower part, before narrowing again. The line from the shoulder to the widest point of the belly is almost straight, with little sense of volume, then narrows sharply toward the foot, giving the whole piece an overall sense of stability. The glaze is a thin, transparent greyish-blue; the upper part of the bottle has partially oxidised to a pale brown, and the condition of the glaze there is poor. The neck is divided into six tiers: the upper three bear a lightning-scroll pattern and a lotus design inlaid in white, and below these, lotus, chrysanthemum, cloud and crane designs are inlaid in black and white. Around the shoulder runs a border of flower designs in white, within which copper-oxide pigment has been dotted at three points. On the body, a large circle is drawn on each of the four sides, and within each circle a dragon holding a yeouiju, a wish-fulfilling jewel, is carved; the jewel is coloured with copper oxide, giving it a red hue. The design covers the surface of the bottle densely, producing a lavish decorative effect, and the piece, dating from around the fourteenth century, is notable for its original decorative technique combining underglaze copper with the other designs.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gwanak-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물