Accession Number
1965/2.69

Title
Small bowl with incised design of a bird

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
12th century

Medium & Support
Stoneware with celadon glaze

Dimensions
3 3/8 x 7 7/8 x 7 7/8 in. (8.5 x 20 x 20 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection

Subject matter
Parrot design is described long tail, elliptical head and crooked beak. It was found on the bowl or vessel of the Goryeo Dynasty. Bird design represents family happiness, status rising and longevity.

Physical Description

There are many examples of early Goryeo celadon decorated with parrot designs, produced under the influence of Chinese Yue ware. This bowl is decorated with an incised horizontal line on the inner wall just below the mouth and with incised design of a pair of parrots. It has a mouth that curves inwards, and a circle is incised on the inner bottom of the bowl. On its body, there are cracks in two parts, while iron spots are found on the inner wall and the foot. Refractory clay had fallen onto and adhered to the inner bottom, in parts, close to the foot during firing inside the kiln. The glaze was poorly fused overall, however the bowl appears to be high-quality as it had the entire foot glazed and used quartzite spurs to support the vessel during firing.
[Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2014) p.96]

It has a slightly inverted rim and mildly surved sides tapering gradually to a narrow foot. The graze is dark greenish blue in cloor, leaning toward green. The foot was carved out from the inside tl a very shallow depth. Two parrots was carved symmetrically.

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
bowl

Additional Object Classification(s)
Decorative Arts

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
bowls (vessels)
celadon (glaze)
ceramic (material)
incising
stoneware (pottery)