Buncheong pottery is a distinctive type of Korean stoneware from the Joseon Dynasty, characterized by its relatively coarse gray body adorned with various white slip decoration techniques.
Understanding Buncheong Pottery
Buncheong ware represents a unique chapter in Korean ceramic history, flourishing during the early Joseon period (1392–1910). It emerged as a successor to Goryeo celadon and predated the widespread production of white porcelain, bridging a significant gap in the evolution of Korean ceramics. Its aesthetic often combines rustic charm with sophisticated decorative patterns, making each piece unique.
The Origin of the Name
The term "Buncheong" is a modern abbreviation derived from bunjang hoecheong sagi. This specific phrase was coined in the 1930s by Go Yuseop, who is recognized as South Korea's first art historian. The term bunjang hoecheong sagi directly translates to "gray-green ceramics decorated with powder," accurately reflecting the material and decorative style of this pottery.
Key Characteristics and Decoration
Buncheong pottery is identifiable by several key characteristics that distinguish it from other ceramic traditions:
- Coarse Gray Body: Unlike the refined white clay of porcelain or the pure celadon body, Buncheong ware utilizes a relatively coarser gray clay body.
- White Slip Embellishment: The most defining feature of Buncheong is its diverse application of white slip, a liquid clay mixture. This slip provides a light-colored ground for various decorative techniques.
- Diverse Decoration Methods: Buncheong potters employed a wide array of techniques to embellish their wares with white slip, which could include:
- Inlaying (Sanggam): Carving designs into the body and filling them with white slip.
- Stamping (Inhwa): Using stamps to create repetitive patterns, then often covering the surface with white slip and wiping away the excess to highlight the stamped design.
- Sgraffito (Bakji): Applying a layer of white slip and then scratching through it to reveal the darker body beneath.
- Iron Painting (Cheolhwa): Applying designs with iron pigment directly onto the white slip or the body.
- Brushing (Buncheong): Liberally brushing white slip onto the surface, creating dynamic and often abstract patterns.
- Dipping (Deokjeon): Dipping the entire vessel into white slip to create a uniform white surface, sometimes followed by other decorative methods.
These diverse decoration methods, all utilizing white slip as a primary medium, give Buncheong pottery its distinctive appeal and broad range of styles, from the elegant to the more spontaneous and playful.
[[Korean Pottery]]
