JAR, Buncheong ware with underglaze iron-painted scroll design, Joseon Dynasty（1392–1897CE）
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This piece is a jar crafted from Buncheong ware, featuring an underglaze iron-painted floral design, produced during the early Joseon Dynasty (first half of the 15th century). It represents a seminal work from a period when the unique aesthetic sensibilities of Korea began to emerge. The design, executed in a lively manner with iron pigment on a body coated with white slip, reflects the values of the time, emphasizing symbolism and rustic beauty over mere decoration.
The pattern, applied to the gently bulging body of the jar, embodies the era's appreciation for simplicity and authenticity, with a spontaneous rhythm evident in the brushwork. The variations in the intensity and diffusion of the iron pigment change in response to the oxidation conditions during firing, imparting a soft, warm quality that speaks to the viewer.
The early 15th century, when this jar was created, was a time of exploration for the Joseon Dynasty as it sought to establish a Confucian order that aligned with its founding ideals, alongside the development of a corresponding material culture. Buncheong ware evolved from the opulence of Goryeo celadon to embrace a new aesthetic that valued simplicity and rusticity. The free brushwork seen in this piece, characterized by its departure from symmetry and proportion, exemplifies a unique expression of early Joseon, where Confucian restraint intertwined with the spontaneity of folk art.
During this period, Buncheong ware was often presented as tribute to the royal court and government offices, holding a certain status among the upper classes, including the yangban. Simultaneously, its rustic and approachable nature allowed it to permeate the lives of common people. Thus, Buncheong ware was culturally positioned as the "vessel of the Korean people," transcending social classes in the early Joseon period.
However, this era also marked a transitional phase leading to the rise of white porcelain. The yangban class, finding virtue in pure white, gradually began to favor more pristine and restrained white porcelain, leading to a shift in Buncheong ware towards everyday use among the populace. This jar, born amidst such transformations, can be seen as a relic of a time when Buncheong ware embodied both the refinement of official culture and the freedom of popular expression.
The overall composition of the jar reflects the distinctive sensibility of early Joseon craftsmanship. With a low lip, a slightly bulging body, and a tapering base that provides stability, the jar features a moderately high foot that harmonizes practical utility with visual balance. While some areas exhibit a slight texture, the soft, warm white typical of Buncheong ware envelops the piece, gently narrating the passage of time alongside the diffusion of the iron pigment. Although there are minor chips and repairs at the lip, these imperfections add a quiet weight to the jar as traces of its history.
Numerous product photos are available for you to examine the details and condition. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The aesthetics of the period did not favor surface-level ornamentation or technical prowess but emphasized forms and expressions that quietly supported the inner life of the individual. Objects and furnishings were not merely tools of utility—they might be seen as a kind of dōjō, spaces for self-discipline and reflection. A humble jar placed in a scholar’s study, a plain desk, or an unadorned brush rest were not only objects to be observed but mirrors reflecting one’s posture and thoughts.
It is no coincidence that the crafts of the Joseon period possess a “quiet presence.” These works were created not to impress, but to accompany the human spirit—to breathe with it and to help bring it into balance.
Take white porcelain, for example. Subtle glaze flows, the tremble of clay, slight asymmetries in shape—these so-called “unintentional phenomena” were accepted and even cherished. They reflect a broad-minded sensibility that contrasts sharply with modern ideals of perfection and uniformity. This sensibility questions the boundaries between nature and artifice, beauty and imperfection, object and mind. One could even say it was not just a way of making but an expression of the spirit of the age.
If we were to describe Joseon-era beauty, it is less a “beauty of display” and more a “beauty of resonance.” Not the charm of an object itself, but the way it creates a moment for the viewer to reflect on how to live and how to be. For this reason, the object must not speak too loudly—it must carry emptiness, pauses, and silence within. This kind of thinking seems to run through the very heart of Joseon craftsmanship.
These values would eventually cross the sea and take root deeply in Japan. In the world of chanoyu (the Japanese Way of Tea), Joseon white porcelain and buncheong ware had already begun to be used by the late Momoyama period. Their modest and quiet character offered a contrast to the stately grandeur of Chinese imports. The aesthetic sensibility of “listening to what is unsaid” in tea culture resonated with the silence and imperfection held by Joseon vessels, nurturing a gaze that would eventually find form in the spirit of wabi-sabi.
In modern times, thinkers of the Mingei movement such as Yanagi Sōetsu and Kawai Kanjirō discovered in Joseon crafts “a power that purifies” and “a form of life as it ought to be.” In an age when traditional crafts were being forgotten, these objects were not viewed merely as antiques but as expressions of a way of being—welcomed with profound respect and empathy.
Even now, when I encounter a crafted object from the Joseon period, I find myself moved by its stillness. Within it dwells the spirit of a time that asked how we ought to live and what it means to be—and that quiet voice continues to speak to us, undiminished by time.
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Tax excluded. Import duties may apply. Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.
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