Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

철화 백자 운룡무늬 호 (鐵畵白磁雲龍文壺)

late 1600s
Diameter of base: 13.7 cm (5 3/8 in.); Overall: 34.7 cm (13 11/16 in.)
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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.
Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design

late 1600s

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

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