Late 18th - early 19th century

Bottle with Chrysanthemums and Orchids

Artist/maker unknown

The manufacture of white porcelain, which requires a more refined clay and higher firing temperature (above 1,300 degrees Celsius) than celadon wares, was first developed in China, where its production exceeded other ceramic ware during the fourteenth century. The new social and aesthetic value of the Joseon dynasty (918 - 1392), favoring simplicity, corresponded well to the simple beauty of white porcelain and encouraged its production throughout the dynasty. Unlike the diverse embellishing techniques used for Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392) celadons, the main method of decorating white porcelain in Korea was underglaze painting in cobalt blue, iron brown, or copper red. Blue-and-white wares, with cobalt blue underglaze painting, were the most popular.

This is an excellent example of a 19th-century blue-and-white beveled bottle, a widely produced form during the Joseon dynasty, with its imposing shape and skillfully painted orchid and branch of chrysanthemum. Orchid and chrysanthemum together with plum and bamboo comprise the Four Gentlemen, which are the four symbols of the virtue and spirit of the literati in the Asian culture.