White Porcelain Underglaze Cobalt Blue Hwabunmunho

This is a blue-and-white porcelain jar from the late Joseon period. The mouth rim is straight and tall; the shoulder swells outward before narrowing towards the base, then flares slightly again at the foot. The glaze has a pale greyish-blue tone and, having melted well overall, has a good lustre. A single cobalt-blue line encircles the outside of the mouth rim, and another marks the boundary between the rim and the shoulder. The shoulder is encircled with a band of ruyi-head design, and there is no other decorative pattern. On the front and back of the body are painted flowerpots set on a long table, one planted with a banana plant and the other with bamboo, and between the flowerpot designs are painted plum blossoms. The cobalt blue is applied with varying tones to give the painting a sense of movement. The foot is of the recessed type, carved deep and flat on the inside; the whole surface is glazed, and traces remain of sand-mixed refractory clay used as a firing support. This piece is an outstanding jar in terms of its glaze and body, the colour of the cobalt blue, and its form. In particular, the motif of flowerpots planted with banana and bamboo set on a table is a rare and unusual example among porcelain designs. The brushwork is bold and lively, and the overall composition is clean and spacious, making this a very valuable example.

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Where it is

Region

Jongno-gu, Seoul

Designation

Provincial Tangible Heritage · 시도유형문화유산