Cer, Korea, Koryo, celadon

This rare vase, of maebyông shape, has a tapering body and a narrow, dished mouth on a short neck. The body is divided by vertical grooves into eight lobes. Each lobe bears a peony spray alternating with a lotus spray painted in brown slip. There is a band of overlapping cloud motifs around the shoulder and a band of lotus petals around the foot, all beneath a celadon glaze. The rim and part of the foot is damaged and has been repaired.
(bib: "Korean art in the United Kingdom. Part 1: the collections of London and Oxford. Sir John Figgess. Korean Culture, vol.6, no.2., plate 7.

This celadon maebyeong has an angular mouth, a relatively long neck, and fully rounded shoulders that narrow towards the base. Vertical grooves down the height of the body divides it into eight lobed sections, each of which is decorated with lotus and peony sprays painted in underglaze iron brown. Fine lines incised through the iron brown add definition to the petals and leaves. The top and bottom of the vase are adorned with a ruyi band and a lotus band respectively. Light greyish fireclay spur marks are visible on the underside of the foot. The glaze has a greenish-brown tint, and part of the mouth has been repaired. It is thought that the maebyeong was produced at a kiln in Sadang-ri, Gangjin, in the late 12th century.

This rare vase has a tapering body and a narrow, dished mouth on a short neck. This shape is known as maebyong. The body is divided by vertical grooves into eight lobes. Each lobe bears a peony spray alternating with a lotus spray. There is a band of overlapping cloud motifs around the shoulder and a band of lotus petals around the foot, all beneath a celadon glaze. Damage to the rim and part of the foot show signs of repair. Peonies as well as lotuses were extremely popular motifs during the Koryo dynasty (918-1392), when this vase was made.

C.615-1920