Vase

Place of OriginKorea

DateYi Dynasty (1392-1910), 1600s

Dimensions10 1/4 × 1 5/8 × 4 × 6 1/4 in. (26 × 4.1 × 10.2 × 15.9 cm)

MediumPorcelain decorated in underglaze blue.

ClassificationCeramics

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1962.10

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 35

DescriptionPainting of a bird on a flowering branch.

Label TextIf green was the key word in Korean ceramics during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), then white became the preferred color under the Joseon era. Due to the influence of China, such wares were quickly adopted by the Korean court, wealthy private patrons, and official-scholars. As Buddhism was discredited and Confucianism was considered the official creed in the Joseon period, the elite's penchant for plain white ware reflected the minimalist and purist aesthetics associated with the new ruling ideology. Color was not entirely eschewed in Joseon white ware. On the contrary, white ware painted with underglaze blue, such as this vase, was highly prized because of its rarity and difficulty of manufacture.