Celadon Prunus Vase with Fish and Reed Design in Underglaze Iron

Goryeo Period (12th Century)

This vessel presents the classic maebyeong silhouette: an angular mouth rim; a short, compact neck; shoulders and upper body that swell boldly outward before tapering gradually and continuously to the base. Aquatic plant motifs are rendered across the entire body, while on the shoulder a single fish — suggestive of a mandarin fish (ssogari) — and a partial band of chrysanthemum-petal motifs are painted in iron brown with swift, assured brushwork. The glaze is a celadon of greenish-brown tonality. This piece belongs to a group of iron-painted celadon wares produced in the later phase of Goryeo celadon production at kilns including those at Sadang-ri in Gangjin. The fish gliding through aquatic grasses is captured with a rapid, dynamic hand that conveys vivid movement and spontaneous energy — a quality that sets this work apart as one of the most characterful and individually expressive pieces within the iron-painted celadon tradition.