청자 주전 Ewer with lotus-shaped lid

Collectors’ Legacy
This ewer was donated by Avery Brundage (1887–1975). Prior to being in Brundage’s collection, it was in the collection of Mayuyama Matsutarou (1882–1935) in Japan. Even before entering the museum’s collection, it had been extolled for its rarity, high quality, and exquisite beauty. This ewer is almost identical to one owned by the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul, though the knob of this ewer, lower and simpler in form, is a modern repair.
The perfect celadon color and excellent form of both ewers indicate that they were made in a similar period, when a set of celadon wares was created to be buried in the tomb of King Injong (1109–1146). The set and the two ewers exemplify the finest Goryeo celadon wares.

“Best under Heaven”
This ewer from the Goryeo dynasty exemplifies celadon ware at its finest level of production. The cylindrical body, the sharp-angled flat shoulder, and the looping, flat handle accented with a crisp outline indicate that it took its shape from a metal prototype. The intricate lid, in the form of a double lotus, makes an effective contrast to the simple, unadorned body. This work was certainly made for the upper class or for the court. A contemporary Chinese connoisseur compiled a list of objects that were considered the most highly valued at the time. Under the category of celadon, he wrote that the exceptional color of Goryeo celadon was the “best under heaven.”

Enchanting Hues
The blue-green surface of this ewer is lustrous—its hue was derived from the purest clay, perfect firing environment, and thin, transparent application of glaze. The glaze covers the bottom of the base and inside of the ewer body, signifying that it was fired with extreme care. The clean foot ring and even application of glaze all over its surfaces imply that the artisans placed the ewer on its own in a single sagger when it was fired. (A sagger is a boxlike clay container that protects the ceramic during firing and was used to fire precious ceramics of high quality.) This specific, rare celadon color differs from works produced by different firing methods and environments. The contrast is noticeable when the ewer is compared to celadon works in neighboring display cases, as well as to the shards in the photograph.