14 Korean Ceramics


Moon Jar (2024) by Yikyung Kim (b 1935, South Korea) porcelain with clear glaze, 16 1/8 x 16 in © Yikyung Kim


Moon jars were closely linked to Neo-Confucian thought


Moon Jar, circa 1700s, Joseon dynasty (1382-1897), porcelain with clear glaze 17.5 x 17 1/8 in, Amorepacific Museum of Art, Treasure of Korea (2005-4) © Amorepacific Museum of Art. Photo: Kim Kwang Seop


L unar Phases: Korean Moon


Jars continues the Denver Art Museum’s collaboration with


the National Museum of Korea (NMK) and other institutions in Korea to explore country’s art and culture. Tese elegant white globular jars (dal hangari) particularly flourished in the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) during the 17th and 18th centuries, when naturalism and spontaneity became the desired aesthetic. At


the same time, the


simplicity of their shapes and each ceramic’s unique hue have been esteemed and respected in Korea and across the world for centuries. Tey were also highly valued by Western studio potters, such as Bernard Leach (1887-1979) and Lucy Rie (1902- 1995), with contemporary Korean ceramicists still being influenced and inspired by them,


wishing to


reinterpret them for a modern audience. Contemporary works are also included in the exhibition. Te show considers how the


traditional moon jar has evolved into a national artistic icon of Korea and how contemporary artists, both within and beyond Korea, reflect on its shape and beauty. Tis is achieved by tracing the artistic phases of the moon jar through 12 ceramics


Moon Jar, circa 1700s, Joseon dynasty (1382-1897), porcelain with clear glaze 17.5 x 16 7/8 in, private collection, National Treasure of Korea (2007-1). Photo: Kim Hyun-soo/K2 Studio


MOON JARS An Enduring Legacy


spanning from the 18th century to the present, with each work representing a month of the lunar calendar. Moon jars were closely linked to


Neo-Confucian thought and the order of society during the Joseon dynasty, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries. Kim Hyunjung, in the essay ‘Joseon White Porcelain Jars’ (2019) for the National Museum of Korea, writes: ‘Joseon society was based on Neo-Confucianism, which prioritised “propriety” above all else. Tus, the Joseon rulers established a set of social and behavioural norms to guide the interactions and activities of the people and implemented Neo- Confucian rites to be performed according to strict procedures. One of the keys to achieving propriety and quelling self-interest was through


which one


restraint, could


appropriately control desires and


emotions. With this in mind, the Joseon literati pursued a


life of


austerity and purity, with an emphasis on cultivating internal cleanness. Rejecting the pettiness of greed, they cherished plainness and simplicity, ultimately seeking a life of modest contention in harmony with nature. Hence, Joseon white porcelain is the physical embodiment of all the Joseon ideals: restraint, order, simplicity, modesty, contention, and acceptance of one’s station in life’. In the 15th century, circa 1467-68,


the Joseon royal family established a government kiln in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, to create white porcelain ware for royal use. Te official kilns were called Bunwon and were managed by the Saongwon department of the court (the government office that officially managed the royal kitchens). Te chosen area was known for its access


to clay, a pure water supply, and dense forests, which facilitated the high- volume production of superior white porcelains for the court. Transportation was also easy with good access to the capital and court based


Seoul). Te


in Hanyang kiln


(present-day in Geumsa-ri


operated from 1734 to 1751 and was renowned for producing other milky white porcelain as well as moon jars. Te physical site of the kiln, however, was relocated within the Gwangju area about every 10 years to benefit from a new location with access to a fresh supply of firewood. During the reigns of King Yeongjo


(r 1724-76) and King Jeongjo (r 1776- 1800), a period of post-war stability had arrived in the kingdom, which enabled the Joseon ceramics industry to enjoy a remarkable renaissance. Production of moon jars particularly flourished during this time, during an


era when the country was enjoying social and economic recovery after the turbulent decades of the Japanese invasion (Imjin War) of the 16th century and Manchu invasions of the 17th century. In 1752, during King Yeongjo’s reign, the official kiln, which had moved every 10 years, became


permanently situated in


Bunwon-ri at the confluence of the South and North Hangang (river). Te Bunwon kilns continued to


function as the official court kilns until their privatisation in the 1880s. Products known to be made at the Bunwon reveal that several grades of white ware were manufactured in the kilns – not all were intended for the court, with many probably made for different


offices of the central


government and for wealthy private patrons. Tis shows that by the 16th century, white ware was no longer the sole domain of the court or the privileged elite living in Hanyang. At a later period, regional kilns all over the Korean peninsula began actively producing white ware – albeit of lesser quality than those from the Bunwon – to satisfy the growing demand. Not all plain white porcelain vessels


are officially classified as moon jars – only those jars of a large, spherical


Brown Moon Jar (2024) by Steven Young Lee (b 1974, born US), porcelain with aventurine glaze, 15 x 14 x 15 in, Denver Art Museum, funds from the Sam F and Fred R Davis Charitable Trust. Photo: Christina Jackson © Steven Young Lee © Denver Art Museum


ASIAN ART | APRIL 2025 | #AsianArtPaper |


Moon Jar, circa 1700s, Joseon dynasty (1392-1897), porcelain with clear glaze, 16.25 x 18 in, National Museum of Korea, bequest of Park Byoung-rae, 1975 Photo: Han Jung Youp/Han Studio © National Museum of Korea


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Moon Jar (2023) by Minjae Kim (b 1989, South Korea), resin, fibreglass and acrylic paint, 27 x 27 x 27 in, Denver Art Museum, funds from the Sam F and Fred R Davis Charitable Trust, courtesy of the artist and Nina Johnson Photo: Eric Stephenon © Minjae Kim © Denver Art Museum


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