Celadon Prunus Vase Painted with Underglaze Iron Brown and Paste-on-paste Insam Leaf Design

Unknown artist

Goryeo Dynasty

Ceramics - Celadon

National Museum of Korea

A dark celadon vase with a bulbous body and narrow neck is decorated with white leaf-like motifs and brown accents. This maebyeong (prunus vase) was created through a series of intensive production processes. First, the original celadon clay was delicately curved and shaped into the characteristic maebyeong form-- wide at the top and curving down into a more narrow foot. Then the vase was painted with iron-brown underglaze, and the leaf patterns were carefully carved and inlaid with white clay. Finally, a layer of glaze was applied to complete the vase. The technique of making inlay designs in underglaze iron first appeared in the early 12th century, but the method is so intricate and complex that it was rarely used. The full, curvilinear line of