Maebyōng Vase

Vase

Dark brown Maebyōng vase. Uneven bottom. Coarse-pored surface, thin glaze. Shoulder ribbon and leaf decor.

Object ID
Korea_038

Age
11th – 12th century

Material
Ceramics

Color
dark brown

Height
29.1 cm

Height (standring)
2 cm

Diameter
16 cm

Diameter (neck)
4.3 cm

Diameter (bottom)
9.2 cm

Condition
Good

Price
on request

Description

The term „Maebyōng vase“ derived from a shape that is similar to a plum kernel. The surface in brown color is coarse-pored. In the preparation the vase was provided over the entire surface with iron-containing engobe on the unfired shards. The decoration was incised into this layer. Then the recessions were filled with white slip that was applied with a brush. After decoration the vase was covered with celadon glaze.
Around the shoulder this vase bears a ribbon with a kind of square cimpartments, each with a dot inside.  The body-decoration consists of motifs borrowed from the nature: these are ginseng-branches. [1] Ginseng comes originally from the forest- and mountain regions of Korea and is a „power root“. Those motives of branches with three leaves appear particularly on artifacts with a covering of iron oxid and seladon glaze. From technical reasons vessels of this kind could not be decorated with more detailed motifs like the green celadon ceramics. [2] The storage space of the vase shows dark stains and fissures. (HV)

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[1] Soontek, Choi-Bae (1984): Seladon-Keramik der Koryō-Dynasty 918 – 1392. Bestandskatalog des Museums für Ostasiatische Kunst der Stadt Köln. Köln 1984. 72-75
[2] Choi, Kun (2000): Maebyong mit Blattdekor. In: Handbuch der koreanischen Kunst. Steinzeug und Seladon. Ernst Wasmuth Verlag. Tübingen. 231