From national treasures to household items, 500 years of Korea's finest porcelain put on view

Installation view of "Joseon White Porcelain: Paragon of Virtue" at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, central Seoul, the museum's first show devoted exclusively to ceramics / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

Leeum Museum of Art's exhibit presents surprisingly varied decorative techniques, patterns of Joseon-era ceramics through a whopping 185 pieces

By Park Han-sol

What comes to mind when you hear the words Joseon white porcelain?

Some would answer the question with an image of a moon jar, a voluminous, moon-like pottery item produced during the late Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) which eventually, would go on to fascinate Korean modern art masters like Kim Whanki (1913-74) with its minimalist yet entrancing aesthetic.

Others may think of blue-and-white ceramics featuring the celebrated symbols of dignity regarding the royal court and literati ― dragons, clouds, bamboo, plum blossoms and peonies.

Whatever leaps to mind, the Leeum Museum of Art's newest exhibition "Joseon White Porcelain: Paragon of Virtue" is here to show that there's much more to these refined centuries-old vessels than meets the eye.

As the museum's first show devoted exclusively to ceramics, it covers the full spectrum of Joseon white porcelains in terms of their surprisingly varied decorative techniques, patterns and production sites developed throughout the rise and fall of the kingdom.

And it does so by plopping the visitors amidst a literal constellation of rare masterpieces, each emanating a luminous glow from its glazed surface that lights up the otherwise pitch-black hall.

Installation view of "Joseon White Porcelain: Paragon of Virtue" at the Leeum Museum of Art / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

These jars, bottles, saucers, ewers, brush holders and water droppers boast wide-ranging decorative techniques ― even the ones that aren't immediately recognizable to the majority of the public.

"The pieces displayed here are the finest examples of porcelains that are painted not only in famous cobalt blue or monochrome white, but also in iron brown and copper red. There are several relatively unknown wares with inlaid design ― a style most commonly witnessed in Goryeo-era (918-1392) celadons ― as well," the show's curator Lee Jun-kwang remarked at a recent press conference.

These artifacts are the quintessential gems of Korean ceramics, as 31 of them are state-designated national treasures or treasures. This is more than half of the total number of Joseon white porcelain items that have been officially recognized as cultural treasures by the government ― which stands at 59.

"We aimed to create an unexpected spectacle of traditional art that could captivate the viewers from the very beginning as a preview of what is to come before they head further into the exhibition," Lee added.

A 15th-century "Jar Decorated with Plum Blossoms and Bamboo" that has been designated as a national treasure, left, and "Jar Decorated with Pine, Tiger and Magpies" produced between the late 18th and early 19th century / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

Mounted as a comprehensive view of Joseon white porcelain items with a whopping 185 pieces on display, "Paragon of Virtue" knocks down stereotypes of the genre unwittingly harbored by many even within Korea.

For the iconic blue-and-white porcelains, the show doesn't stop at highlighting their already well-known characteristic ― that due to the rarity and high-priced nature of the imported cobalt blue pigment, these vessels were reserved exclusively for the royal court and to some extent, the "yangban" (the aristocratic class) as a means to symbolize their authority and decorum. They tended to reflect the Neo-Confucian ideals that the Joseon literati aspired to through icons like plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and inscribed poems.

Instead, the exhibition goes on to spotlight the underrepresented sides of blue-and-white porcelain items' history, where the vessels during the late Joseon period began incorporating other pigments such as copper red and iron brown into the mix as well as unorthodox motifs usually witnessed in folk art ― bats, tigers and magpies, among others.

Seen are two "Jars Decorated with Dragons and Clouds" from the 17th century. The left porcelain jar was produced by the state-controlled kiln, whereas the right one was fired from the regional counterpart and therefore featured a more whimsical design. Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

The usage of iron brown and copper red in white porcelains became much more apparent in the 17th century, following a series of irreversible historical disasters.

Just decades after repelling the 1592-98 Japanese invasions of Korea, the Joseon Kingdom had to face two separate Manchu invasions from the Later Jin dynasty in 1627 and the Qing dynasty in 1636. To make matters worse, the country was hit by the deadly Kyungshin Famine from 1670 to 1671, which is said to have killed as many as one million.

"Importing an invaluable material like cobalt blue pigment was no longer seen as a viable option in these times of crisis," the curator noted. "Consequently, iron brown and copper red, which had been in usage since the Goryeo Kingdom but had always remained in the background, rose to be the main alternatives."

These new ceramics produced by the state-controlled kilns had the same decorative motifs as their previous blue-and-white counterparts, but because of the striking intensity of the materials' colors and texture, they showed off unbelievably fresh dynamism.

As this practice of incorporating cheaper pigments made with iron and copper oxide into white porcelains spread across the country, the regional kilns began turning out jars, bottles and bowls with wilder and more whimsical designs than the state-controlled ones.

On view is a curated selection of such playful regional vessels, exhibiting motifs such as a wormlike dragon with no distinct facial features but a pair of round eyes, a fish with legs, chrysanthemums that are reminiscent of Cerberus, the three-headed hell hound of Greek mythology, and starfish-like grapevines.

"The ceramics fired in the provincial kilns weren't for decoration but for everyday consumption," Lee said. "As long as they served their purpose as durable containers, their styles or patterns were of secondary concern ― hence the carefree designs filled with humor and individuality."

A 47-centimeter-tall moon jar from the 18th century that has been designated as a national treasure, left, and "Bottle Decorated with Lotus Petals" from the late 18th century / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art

The aesthetic distinction between the Joseon-era pottery produced from state-administered kilns and their regional counterparts can also be observed in monochrome white porcelains ― luminous artifacts that celebrate values of austerity and understated grace.

The vessels made for the royal court and the elite class are evenly coated with a transparent glaze that elegantly highlights the white base clay. It's intriguing to note that throughout the Joseon period, the shades of white desired by the upper class continued to fluctuate ― from snowy white to creamier milky white, or from grayish white to bluish white reminiscent of jade.

Nonetheless, while the essence of whiteness ultimately remained unchanged in these ceramics, it was a wildly different story for the provincial ones produced for everyday use. Not only were they cruder in design, but most failed to appear as pristine white ― with many turning out to be light gray or beige in color.

Yet from a contemporary perspective, the apparent discoloration of regional vessels has a special appeal of its own.

"The earthen colors, rough surfaces and humble forms correspond well with one another, imbuing these porcelains with an organic and pragmatic beauty," Lee said. "Therefore, unlike other articles in the exhibition, we decided to do away with glass showcases and instead display them all together in an unenclosed area."

Overall, by bringing together an impressive array of Joseon white porcelains ― from regal national treasures to everyday household items ― the exhibition offers a peek into the fundamental aesthetic principles that blossomed throughout the five-century-long Joseon Kingdom.

"Joseon White Porcelain: Paragon of Virtue" runs through May 28 at the Leeum Museum of Art. Admission is free.

Monochrome white porcelain vessels fired from regional kilns between the 15th and 17th century / Courtesy of Leeum Museum of Art