Cleveland Museum of Art

Bowl with Stamped Floral Decoration

Date

1600s–1700s

Medium

glazed ceramic

Culture

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This type of wide-mouthed bowl was used everyday in Korea, not exclusively for tea drinking. But when it was introduced to Japan around the early 16th century, its imperfect appearance evoking the aesthetics of wabi-sabi caused it to be repurposed as tea bowls in Japan. Possibly produced in one of the kilns established by the trading office (Waegwan) in Busan, southern Gyeongsang province, this type of bowl was sold to Japanese elite collectors. This type of humble tea bowl was highly praised among Japanese collectors for its imperfect beauty.

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