| Description |
Ceramic jar in the celadon (cheongja) tradition; Tall vase with bulbous body and long, slender neck that ends in a slightly flared, flat mouth; Decorated with inlaid cloud and crane designs, motifs that are associated with Buddhism; Cranes traditionally represent immorality, and when they are not encircled traditionally represent male animals; The bottom of the vase is decorated in lotus flower petals around the base; The human form is subtly represented in Korean pottery; Here the long slender shape of the vase with a gentle slope at the bottom (ju-byeong) expresses the voluptuous beauty of femininity; Flower-like shape framing single Korean character is stamped on 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. |
