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Dragon Jar. Korea, Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910), 18th century. White porcelain with iron-brown painted decoration under a clear glaze, 12 3/8 x 14 5/8 in. (31.4 x 37 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Asian Art Council, 86.139
Whereas earlier Korean potters created wares in gray clay, at the beginning of the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910) white porcelain became the favored material for ceramic production. Tablewares for the Chosŏn imperial court were produced at Kwangju, in Kyounggi province. To ensure a sufficient supply of firewood, the site of the kiln was relocated every ten years. The strict moral codes of Confucianism were often reflected in the artistic production of the times, particularly in the taste for simple forms and decoration. The white color of Chosŏn porcelain ideally satisfied this aesthetic.
The brown decoration on Brooklyn's dragon jar is iron oxide painted directly on the porcelain and then covered with a clear glaze. The dragon image functioned to protect the food inside the vessel from evil spirits as well as to attract good fortune for its owner. The dynamic diamond-shaped profile of the jar results from forming the top and bottom halves separately on the potter's wheel and then joining them rim-to-rim.
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum