Wine Cup Stand thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Wine Cup Stand

1150-1200 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In many respects ceramics reached their zenith during the four centuries of the Koryo kingdom (918-1392) when porcellanous stonewares with soft, gentle lines and a fine, bluish-green glaze, known as celadon, were made.

With its finely moulded shape and graceful decoration, this cup and stand is a typical example of Koryo celadon wares. It dates to the mid- to late-1100s as suggested by its delicately incised and inlaid sanggam design. The development of sanggam inlay is one of the crucial components of Koryo celadon making. It was an independent achievement by Koryo craftsmen at a time when inlay was not used by Chinese potters, and it has come to represent the elegance and gracefulness of Koryo period art. The inlay technique is believed to have derived from metal and lacquer wares on which it had been used several centuries earlier. The method of inlay is different to that of incised and carved designs. First the motif is carved into the clay body, and the resulting grooves are covered with black or white slip, this being clay thinned with water. Excess slip is scraped off and the piece is biscuit fired, before being glazed and fired again. The ensuing design is clearly visible underneath the thin and highly translucent glaze.

Modelled on Korean and Chinese silver prototypes and during the Koryo period, cups and stands of this type were among the most popular shapes for wine cups. Also the V&A has several in its collection.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, thrown, carved, incised and inlaid
Brief description
Stoneware, celadon galze, inlaid and incised design
Physical description
The perimeter is grooved; the rim slopes upwards in eight lobes, each bearing an inlaid chrysanthemum head. At the centre is a carved holder designed to accomodate the wine cup.

Colour: Greyish green, white and black
Dimensions
  • Height: 4cm
  • Diameter: 14.5cm
Style
Credit line
Given by Dr W. M. Tapp
Subject depicted
Summary
In many respects ceramics reached their zenith during the four centuries of the Koryo kingdom (918-1392) when porcellanous stonewares with soft, gentle lines and a fine, bluish-green glaze, known as celadon, were made.

With its finely moulded shape and graceful decoration, this cup and stand is a typical example of Koryo celadon wares. It dates to the mid- to late-1100s as suggested by its delicately incised and inlaid sanggam design. The development of sanggam inlay is one of the crucial components of Koryo celadon making. It was an independent achievement by Koryo craftsmen at a time when inlay was not used by Chinese potters, and it has come to represent the elegance and gracefulness of Koryo period art. The inlay technique is believed to have derived from metal and lacquer wares on which it had been used several centuries earlier. The method of inlay is different to that of incised and carved designs. First the motif is carved into the clay body, and the resulting grooves are covered with black or white slip, this being clay thinned with water. Excess slip is scraped off and the piece is biscuit fired, before being glazed and fired again. The ensuing design is clearly visible underneath the thin and highly translucent glaze.

Modelled on Korean and Chinese silver prototypes and during the Koryo period, cups and stands of this type were among the most popular shapes for wine cups. Also the V&A has several in its collection.
Bibliographic references
  • Beth McKillop.
  • Korean Art and Design.
  • London: V&A,
  • 1992.
  • 12.
Collection
Accession number
C.86A-1930

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Record createdFebruary 3, 2000
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