Accession Number
2004/1.252

Title
Maebyeong (Wine Storage Bottle) with plant spray design

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
13th century

Medium & Support
stoneware with iron underglaze painting

Dimensions
10 11/16 x 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (27 x 15.8 x 15.8 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Bruce and Inta Hasenkamp and Museum purchase made possible by Elder and Mrs. Sang-Yong Nam

Label copy
By the thirteenth century, the Korean maebyeong—a container for wine or other liquids—had assumed a tall and slender profile, with high, rounded shoulders, a gradually tapering body, and a slightly flared base. This piece was fired in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, resulting in a light brown color. The design of a single plant sprig was painted directly on the unbaked clay surface with iron oxide, with a refreshingly light touch.
Maribeth Graybill, The Enduring Art of the Korean Potter, December 12, 2004-November 6, 2005

Physical Description

This is celadon maebyeong decorated with large foliage spray designs painted in underglaze iron brown in two sides of its body. Such celadon wares decorated with oral scrolls in underglaze iron brown and coated with greenish-brown glaze were generally produced in large numbers in the area of Jinsan-ri in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do. The body contains lots of white quarts sand, producing rough surface. The foot is wide and at and ne grains of sand are adhere to it. It is yellow-brown overall, though glaze has gathered towards the base, creating a greener tone.
[Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2014) p.139]

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
wine jar

Additional Object Classification(s)
Decorative Arts

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
celadon (glaze)
stoneware (pottery)
underglazing
vases