Celadon Cup and Saucer with Inlaid Chrysanthemum Design

Goryeo Period (13th Century)

This harmoniously matched set comprises a cup with a flower-shaped mouth rim and a small, slightly everted foot ring, paired with a stand featuring a broad, flat flange and a tall, outward-flaring foot ring. The decoration of the cup is layered in counterpoint: a band of scrolling arabesque (tangcho) is incised along the outer rim, while inlaid chrysanthemum blossoms and incised floral motifs alternate across the body. The broad flange of the stand is adorned with inlaid chrysanthemum sprays, and incised floral motifs ornament the foot ring. The glaze is a pale greenish-blue, though portions of the surface have oxidized to a yellow-brown tone. This well-matched cup and stand belongs to a category of wine vessels produced during the thirteenth century at kilns in Gangjin, Buan, and related centers — a period that marks the height of Goryeo inlaid celadon — and stands as a fine example of the form in which vessel and stand achieve a seamless and elegant unity.