Bottle vase with design of cranes

Maker Unidentified artist

Date18th century

MediumPorcelain with underglaze blue

DimensionsHeight: 9 1/2 inches (24.1 cm)

CultureKorean

PeriodJoseon dynasty (1392-1910)

ClassificationsCeramics

Credit LineGift of Colonel John R. Fox

Terms

Ceramics
grey cobalt
Animals
Birds
Clouds
Cranes
Deer
greenish ground
Korean

Object number65.227

Label CopyBecause it had to be imported from China, cobalt was an expensive commodity for Korean potters, and the early blue-and-white porcelains were restricted to use by the court and nobles. It was not until late in the eighteenth century that cobalt became available in sufficient quantities and at low enough cost for common use, resulting in such pieces as this pear-shaped wine bottle of the early nineteenth century. The decoration is drawn from traditional Chinese subject matter - a crane, some bamboo, and a few drifting clouds - but the treatment is essentially Korean. The brushwork is swift and sure, and the design elements are neatly spaced across the surface in a casual, almost understated way. The sober shape of the bottle adds to the feeling of restraint that is one of the chief characteristics of Korean blue-and-white. (From “A Handbook of the Collection: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art," 1998)

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