Large jar

Large jar, Choson dynasty (1392–1910), 18th–19th century
Korea
White porcelain; H. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm)
The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975 (1979.413.1)

Description

The manufacture of porcelain, which requires a special clay and extremely high firing temperatures (1,300–1,350°C), was first developed in China. In Korea, white-bodied porcelain wares became popular with the advent of the Choson dynasty (1392–1910) and continued to be produced throughout the period. The early phase of porcelain production, from the founding of the dynasty at the end of the fourteenth century to the mid-seventeenth century, is characterized by undecorated white wares, although blue-and-white decorated wares began to be produced in the fifteenth century. These white wares reflect the austere tastes associated with Neo-Confucianism, the Choson state's official ideology, displacing Buddhism which had been promoted by the court rulers of the preceding Koryo dynasty (918–1392). This jar is among the most striking of the large, utilitarian objects made of porcelain. It was produced by joining two bowl-shaped forms at their rims. The pale blue tone of the thickly applied glaze enhances the impression of whiteness and freshness. Jars of this type, which reflect a uniquely Korean aesthetic, would have been especially admired for their irregular shape, a result of slight sagging during firing.