In this section, you will find the beauty of Korea in various aspects of Korean way of life. We would like to present you with a series on pottery of Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, for January and February 2008 editions of this newsletter. This time, please enjoy the charms of Goryeo celadon with us.
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What makes Goryeo celadon distinguished from other ceramics? Firstly, its color
The color of Goryeo celadon is often described as that of autumn sky, demurely revealed through dark clouds after a heavy rainfall. Yi Gyu-bo, an eminent poet of the Goryeo dynasty, referred to its mysterious color as "a piece stolen from heavenly harmony". "The rich, vivid color of Goryeo celadon" was the product of iron oxide in the glaze or clay.
What makes Goryeo celadon distinguished from other ceramics? Secondly, its pattern
Potters of Goryeo applied a unique technique in making their celadon pottery- the art of inlaying. Inlaid celadon is made by incising the desired motifs onto the surface of a vessel and filling in the area with white or red slip(clay mixture) before applying the glaze. After firing, the white slip remains the same color while the red slip turns black. The inlaying technique requires highly refined skill of balancing completely different materials and incising, as well as elegant taste, all of which go hand in hand with the sophisticated refinement of celadon pottery. This new technique resulted in an innovative change in celadon decoration. The conventional intaglio and relief techniques only allowed subtle decoration of a vessel; however, the introduction of the inlaying approach that resulted in vivid patterns shown through a thin layer of clear blue glaze marked the beginning of a new celadon era.
During the invasion of the Mongol empire into Goryeo, clay and glazes underwent remarkable changes. In the next edition, we will cover celadons of the 13th century Goryeo.
