Water Dropper (white-grey)

Water Dropper

White-grey water dropper in the shape of an apple with standring. The blue painting gives attention to the two openings, the inlet (pouring) and the outlet (spout).

Object ID
Korea_027

Age
Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910 AD)

Material
Ceramics

Color
white-grey

Height
9.8 cm

Height (standring)
4 mm

Diameter
11 cm

Diameter (bottom)
7.7 cm

Diameter (spout)
8 mm

Length (spout)
1.5 cm

Condition
Very Good

Price
on request

Description

This white-grey water dropper is almost in the shape of an apple and has a small standring. The blue painting gives attention to the two openings, the inlet (pouring) and the outlet (spout). They are enclosed in the ornament of a cherry blossom and two tendrils, and possibly a bird. Such a water dropper belonged to the writing-utensils. In this regard it was very popular to produce imaginative vessels. After the filling with water the vessel is placed upright. In order to dose the amount of water to thin the ink correctly, the writer has to place his finger on the top opening. [1]
In the Joseon Dynasty white ware became fashionable. Many of the ceramics were probably made for bureaus of the Government or for wealthy private persons and scholars. [2] (HV)

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[1] Chang, Ki-hoon (2000): Wassertropfer. In: Handbuch der koreanischen Kunst. Steinzeug und Seladon. Tübingen. 112-119
[2] Lee, Soyoung. “In Pursuit of White: Porcelain in the Joseon Dynasty, 1392–1910.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chpo/hd_chpo.htm (October 2004)