Jar, White Porcelain with Plum and Bamboo Design in Iron-brown Underglaze

Along with buncheong ware, the other type of ceramic ware that represents the Joseon Dynasty is white porcelain. But while the golden era of buncheong ware was rather brief, white porcelain was produced and loved throughout the Joseon era. Members of the ruling class of Joseon, including royals and literati elites, were charmed by the simple, refined forms of white porcelain, combined with the pure white surface; they felt it was a perfect symbol for the clean, austere life of Neo-Confucianism that they revered. They were so deeply attracted to ceramic ware that the royal family and the government of Joseon operated their own ceramic kilns (Gwanyo, meaning “official kiln”) in today’s Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do Province, and in some other areas. These kilns were closely supervised by their own government agency, Saongwon. Renowned for its magnificent shape and design, this jar is a good example of 16th-century white porcelains with iron-brown underglaze. The surface features a very realistic rendering of bamboo and plum trees. The bamboo was depicted in such a way as to maximize the effect of light and shade, and the straight, slender leaves and canes show that the artist clearly wanted to capture the integrity and spirit of this iconic plant. In addition, the plum tree has a gnarled, curved trunk, but there are small straight branches emerging all around, conveying a noble, poetic mood. The elegance and refinement of the design indicate that it must have been executed by an official court painter. Records show that government officials in charge of ceramics regularly brought court painters to the kilns and had them paint the designs.