Koryo Celadon Chrysanthemum Cup and Saucer

Koryo Dynasty, 13th century
High-Fired Stoneware
Korea
H: 11cm D: 14cm

A Koryo Celadon chrysanthemum cup and saucer. The cup with ten lobes, each lobe depicting an inlaid single spray of flowering chrysanthemum below a incised floral scrolling border. The interior of the cup is decorated with incised flowering chrysanthemum in the middle. The saucer with six lobes, each lobe displays an inlaid single spray of flowering chrysanthemum in white and black slip. The cup rests on an elevated section decorated to the exterior with overlapping petals.

The inlay technique employed here is known as sanggam. This technique was widely used in this period and believed by the Korean potters to complement the deep glaze colour. The technique was used to depict nature scenes such as cranes swimming in lakes or single sprays of chrysanthemum, all drawn from Koreas natural environment. It involved using a sharp tool to cut out the body while the clay was still soft. The white slip and the Iron-black clay were then applied in the indentation that were made. Excess slip was then scrapped off the body and the celadon glaze was applied over the vessel. The inlay technique gave a depth that normal slip decoration could not be achieved.

Provenance:
–  House of Yi collection
– Private Japanese Collection.