Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

철화 백자 운룡무늬 호 [鐵畵白磁雲龍文壺]

late 1600s

Korea, Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910)

Medium

porcelain with underglaze iron

Measurements

Diameter of base: 13.7 cm (5 3/8 in.); Overall: 34.7 cm (13 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1986.69

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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 premodern East Asia; the image of dragons was used exclusively for the king's paraphernalia.

Description

In traditional Korean art, dragons were used as an emblem of royalty. Over centuries, the ways of depicting this powerful mythical creature varied in response to artistic trends and socioeconomic changes. Here, the artist imagined with free-flowing calligraphic brushstrokes a whimsical dragon with bulging eyes who wraps his scaled body around the vessel.

This piece was acquired from the London Gallery in Tokyo, Japan. Its owner, Tajima Mitsuru (born about 1936) is regarded as one of the pioneering Japanese art dealers to cultivate lasting relationships directly with collectors and museums in the United States.