melon-shaped ewer

melon-shaped ewer , 1000s–1100s, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

Where object was made: Korea

Material/technique: celadon glaze; stoneware

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 19.3 x 19 x 14.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 7 5/8 x 7 1/2 x 5 11/16 in

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 1928.0633.a,b

On display: Stewart Gallery

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Since the tenth century, Goryeo potters in Korea absorbed ceramic techniques from China and produced celadon vessels for the royal court. The monochrome jade color and the elegant shapes were similar to the aesthetic tastes of Chinese Song dynasty (960–1276) ceramics. Chinese envoy Xu Jin (1091–1153) praised the quality of Goryeo celadon and their resemblance to famous wares in China, evidence of the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

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Empire of Things

This ewer from Korea is made from high-quality celadon, a type of Asian ceramic known for its stunning glaze and color obtained through a method of firing with reduced oxygen. This specific type of celadon, from the Goryeo dynasty in Korea, is celebrated as one of the finest types of pottery in the world.

Archive Label 2003 (version 1):
Koryo potters drew a variety of celadon forms from daily life, shaping pots like gourds, pomegranates, ducks, tigers, lions, monkeys, turtles, and so on. The shape of this elegant monochrome celadon ewer, with eight lobed sides, resembles a Korean melon (ch’am’oe). The lid looks like a leaf with a delicately twisted stem. Turned upward, the leaf is incised with fine lines to suggest veins. The loop formed by the stem would have been used to tie the lid to the handle.
Ewers, such as this, were used to serve tea or wine. A very similar example is preserved in the National Museum of Korea, Seoul.

Archive Label 2003 (version 2):
Perhaps used as a wine pot, this lobed ewer resembles a melon, which may have been served during hot summers while drinking cool wine.

Archive Label 2003 (version 3):
A favorite Koryo- vessel was the melon-shaped ewer. This elegant version has eight lobed sides and resembles the Korean melon known as ch’am’oe. The lid is fashioned after a foliated lotus leaf with a delicately curled stem for a knob. The handle is shaped like a twisted vine and has a small loop at the top from which a cord would have secured the lid to its knob. Ewers such as this were used to serve tea or wine.