| Description |
Ceramic jar in the celadon (cheongja) tradition; Small, round jar with high shoulder that rises to a short, narrow neck with a slightly flared lip; Neck is flanked by two small ring handles; Body of the vase is decorated with inlaid clouds and cranes, a motif which is associated with Buddhism; Both encircled and non-encircled cranes are shown, which traditionally represent female and male animals, respectively; Lotus flower petals decorate the top of the vase, just below the neck; The human form is subtly represented in Korean pottery; Here, the wide shoulder and stockiness of the vase (mae-byeong) represents the masculine form; Korean characters are painted just above the rim of the base. The celadon tradition was begun in China and perfected in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392 CE); Typified by their pale green or blue-green luster reminiscent of jade and a super smooth glaze, celadon pieces were traditionally decorated with a variety of techniques, including carvings, incising, impressing and an intricate inlay technique unique to Korea known as sanggam, where designs are carved on the surface and colored clay inlaid before applying the slip; The layers are then carved away to reveal the varying colors. |
