Tea Bowl – Buncheong Ware

Bowl

Buncheon ware grey-yellowish glazed tea bowl. Curved shape, standring and well-formed mouth. Inside pattern: areas with flowers and graphic drawings, outside different circular brush strokes and different hatchings.

Object ID
Korea_015

Age
16th century AD
(Joseon Dynasty)

Material
Ceramics / Buncheong ware

Color
grey-yellowish

Height
8 cm

Height (standring)
1 cm

Diameter
18.5 cm

Diameter (standring)
5.5 cm

Condition
Very Good

Price
on request

Description

The quality of Buncheon ware is a middle-thing between celadon and porcelain. The grey-yellowish tea bowl has a little curved shape, a low standring and a well-formed mouth convenient for drinking. Particularly striking is the lavish decoration. That was usual for early Buncheong ware during the first two hundred years of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Above, this was of regional character. [1]
Inside the body is completely designed with pattern-areas. A chrysanthemum is the main motif on the inner centre of the bottom. Then follow in a centric arrangement a densely dotted field and a bordure with dashes like grass-waves. [2] This is kept on by another bordure of double-layered lotus leaves. The side walls around are again covered by a large area with dots. The finish is formed by four decorative elements consisting of small and longer dashings like parts of feathers. Outside under the mouth concentric lines and and a latticework of horizontal and vertical hatchings are visible. Above are circular brush strokes of varying strength which focus on the roundings. They  act like a spiral with a twisting effect. The conclusion to the standring again form (repeats the) concentric lines. Allover the bowl covered by a transparent glaze. Inside around the standring are traces of oxidation and leftovers from burning supports. The bottom itself is broken. There is also a small fracture on the mouth.- The bowl is representative for the aesthetic of Buncheong ware. (HV) 

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[1] Lee, Soyong (2000): „Joseon Buncheong Ware: Between Celadon and Porcelain“. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2000 / www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pnch/hd_pnch.htm (October 2003)
[2] Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (1979): 5000 years of Korean Art. Printed by Samhwa Printing Co., Ltd. In Korea. 172