Celadon Plaque with Inlaid Flower and Bird Design

Among celadon plaques, only a small number of examples that survive complete or can be restored to their original form are known to date, and this Celadon Plaque with Inlaid Flower and Bird Design is, among them, the work inlaid with the most pictorial design. The subject and the empty space are effectively balanced, and the combination of black-and-white inlay with the underglaze-iron technique produces an outstanding contrast of colour. In particular, the important parts of the birds and trees are incised in black-and-white inlay, while the remaining necessary parts, such as the body and tail, are painted in underglaze iron, appearing darker in tone than the black inlay; this effectively applies gradations of tone according to technique. Not only is the decorative technique distinctive and the pictorial subject matter handled with skill, but the plaque is also unusually small in size, making it an extremely valuable piece of material for the history of ceramics.

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Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물