Buncheong Barrel Jar with Inlaid Peony and Floral Design

Joseon Period (15th Century)

This is a changgun — a vessel of flattened, barrel-like form with a rounded body derived from a rectangular prototype, fitted with a mouth at the upper center. The decoration on the two broad faces takes the form of large peonies with their leaves rendered in surface inlay (myŏn sangam), while the remaining faces bear a boldly expressive design of flowering plants rendered in black-and-white inlay (hŭngbaek sangam) with a sweeping, fan-like intensity of brushwork that gives the impression of blossoms bursting upward in full bloom. Flowers and stems are depicted on the lateral faces. A grayish-blue glaze has been applied over the entire surface, imparting a smooth, lustrous finish. No comparable example of a changgun bearing decorative motifs of such forceful and striking expressiveness is known, and this work is regarded as one of the outstanding masterpieces that embodies the defining aesthetic character of Joseon Buncheong ware in its fullest sense. Produced at a kiln in the Honam region during the mid-fifteenth century, it is a vessel designed for carrying wine for outdoor use.