The Art of Korean Potters, Debut of Previously-Unknown Rai Korean Art Collection KMB Asian Art of Tokyo presents a special exhibition of important Korean ceramics from Koryo to Choson Periods. Exhibition website http://kmbasianart3.blogspot.com
elegant shape, impeccable high luster glaze with bluish tint, and thinly potted pure porcelain body for use exclusively in the royal court. The KMB exhibition presents two fine important plain white vessels from the punwon kilns. A very attractive 15/16th Century white jar with vertical ribs to simulate a lantern and a massive long-neck vase with globular body and long-tapered neck from the 19th Century reflects the unique Korean aesthetics for whiteness and elegant forms.
Although plain white-bodied porcelains were favored throughout the Choson period (1392--1910), decorated versions of the same wares were also produced in large quantities. The Chinese blue-and-white wares of the Ming dynasty served as one model for Korean potters, who adopted the technique of underglaze cobalt-blue decoration. Unlike its Chinese counterparts, the Choson potters worked closely with court painters to produce vessels with superb paintings rivaling surviving paintings on paper. An exceptional blue-and-white jar from the 17th Century is an excellent example of combination of professional painter's art with the skill of potters. The large jar featured in this exhibition is decorated with a scholar seated under a pine tree overlooking a vast water and mountain landscape. The jar is also inscribed with a long poem in scholarly calligraphy. Large jar with a full-view landscape and long poem is extremely rare. This jar from the Rai Collection is indeed one of the best surviving Choson blue-and-white vessels among all know examples. Another early blue-and-white ware of a large ritual platform made for the royal court is notable for its large size, unique architectural form, and pure glaze.
Korean potters of the 16th century started to experiment with underglaze iron pigment on porcelain. The exhibition also features a vase with a boldly painted dragon among cloud in characteristic Choson potters' humor and exuberant depiction of dragon. Rare underglaze copper-red decorated wares is also demonstrated by a jar decorated with orchids and chrysanthemum painted in cobalt blue and copper-red.
The exhibition website is presented with abundance of photos which include detailed and closeup shots of each items. Visitors to the exhibition website have the opportunity of enjoying the beauty of each fine ceramics as well as being able to conduct in-depth research of these rare examples of Korean ceramics. Private viewing of the selected items from the Rai Collection in KMB Asian Art's Tokyo Gallery can be arranged by contacting KMB Asian Art.
About KMB Asian Art
KMB Asian Art of Tokyo is a private art dealer specializing in presenting East Asian Art through internet websites. The firm has completed successful sales of several fine Asian Art collections on major internet marketplace such as eBay. KMB is presently focusing on the cataloging and selling of the previously-unknown Rai Collection in Japan. The Rai Collection was accumulated since the end of the War in 1950's. The Collection is notable for its large number of Chinese ceramics and important Korean ceramics and Buddhist art.
Contact:
Karin Jessen, Ph.D., Director
KMB Asian Art, Tokyo, Japan
