JAR, Blue-and-white porcelain with grass design, Joseon Dynasty（1392–1897CE）
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This piece is an 18th-century blue-and-white porcelain jar from the Buninri official kiln of the Joseon Dynasty. It features a harmonious oval shape with a gently rounded body and a stable, straight neck, adorned with a grass motif that encircles the shoulder. The delicate interplay of light and shadow on the softly rounded jar, along with the exquisite balance of pale blue and white porcelain, creates a poetic ambiance. The muted light blue hue reflects the scarcity of cobalt pigment during that era, adding to its charm.
The technique of underglaze painting was introduced to Korea from China during the Yuan Dynasty around the 15th century and was initially reserved for royal court offerings. From the 18th century onward, mass production became possible at official kilns, leading to the emergence of a style that elegantly simplifies floral motifs, as seen in this jar. The unadorned beauty of its form speaks volumes, distinguishing it from the ceramics of contemporary China and Japan. Historical records indicate that painters dispatched from the capital decorated the body with patterns during the late Joseon period. The stability of the pictorial composition and the restrained brushwork are characteristic features of the Buninri official kiln. The modest yet confidently rendered underglaze decoration intertwines Confucian restraint with the poetic essence of nature, presenting a unique world reflective of the Joseon spirit.
Subtle stains, known as crazing or rain leaks, are scattered throughout the body and beneath the glaze, revealing traces of nature that have gradually permeated over time. The rim exhibits careful, old repairs, while the base reveals a rustic sandy texture mixed with feldspar, reflecting not only the kiln's precision but also the artisanal background. Elements that might be perceived as flaws transform into expressions of wabi-sabi, resonating with the spirituality of the Joseon Dynasty.
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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