Gourd-shaped Pitcher, Celadon with Inlaid Peony Scroll Design

This pitcher demonstrates a unique inverse inlaying technique, wherein the background of the main design is carved into the surface, rather than the design itself. Here, the peonies are part of the main celadon layer, while the background has been carved and inlaid with white clay. This technique is used to alleviate crowding with large designs that cover a majority of the surface. The neck of the pitcher has a cloud and crane design that is inlaid with themore conventional method, and there is also a lotus flower design around the top. Double gourd-shaped pitchers like this one can be found in Tang and Song ceramics from China, but this one shows aesthetics that are clearly unique to Goryeo, in terms of the linear flow and the proportion of each part.