The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 17, 2024

Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

late 1600s
(1392–1910)
porcelain with underglaze iron
Diameter of base: 13.7 cm (5 3/8 in.); Overall: 34.7 cm (13 11/16 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1986.69
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

A mythical creature believed to have the power to make rain, the dragon is a prominent symbol of rulers in pre-modern East Asia, thus the image of dragons was used exclusively for the king's paraphernalia.

Description

In traditional Korean art, dragons have been used as an emblem of royalty. Over many centuries, the ways of depicting this powerful mythical creature evolved and varied in response to artistic trends and socioeconomic changes. On this jar from the 1600s, the artist drew a whimsical dragon with bulging eyes who wraps his scaled body around the vessel. The artist’s aim here was to capture the wild spirit of the supernatural creature with free flowing calligraphic brushstrokes.
  • ?–1986
    (London Gallery, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1986–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
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    Porcelains Discovered at Ancient Kiln Sites [조선 17-18세기 철화백
    자의 특징과 성격-가마터 출토품을 중심으로].” Misulsahak yeongu
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  • {{cite web|title=Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design|url=false|author=|year=late 1600s|access-date=17 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1986.69