White Porcelain Water Dropper in the Shape of a Mythical Lion in Underglaze Cobalt Blue

Joseon Period (19th Century)

This water dropper is modeled as a haetae — the mythical guardian creature of Korean tradition — in a crouching posture, mouth wide open in a fierce, growling expression. The eyes, beard, plumage, and tail are painted in cobalt blue, which plays against the raised relief of the modeled surface to create a vivid interplay of color and form. Produced at the Bunwon-ri kiln during the first half of the nineteenth century, this outstanding water dropper takes as its subject the haetae in its role as a guardian against fire — a creature believed to possess the power to suppress flames — and captures that mythical presence with remarkable vitality and sculptural assurance.