Design and Inscription of a Poem in Underglaze Cobalt Blue and Iron

This octagonal water dropper (yeonjeok), a vessel used to hold water for grinding ink, has neat proportions, with a flat top forming an octagonal rim at its edge. Eight small feet stand at the corners of its base. A hole for water is pierced at the centre of the top, and a spout is attached at one corner of the side. A butterfly is painted on the top using underglaze cobalt blue and underglaze iron techniques, and a seven-character quatrain is written on the side using the two techniques in alternation. The glaze is a clear, transparent glaze with a faint bluish tinge; its lustre is soft, and it has no crackle. The brushwork of the cobalt-blue and iron-brown decoration is outstanding, and the seven-character poem blends harmoniously with the decoration and form of the water dropper, making it a fine work that reveals something of the scholarly culture of the 18th century.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gwanak-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물