Large Jar with Peonies and Birds

This jar’s generous and slightly imperfect shape, the soft blue color of the cobalt pigment, the relaxed, playful design, and the abundance of unpainted space exemplify the character of 18th-century Korean blue-and-white porcelain. Such understated aesthetics contrasts with the more flamboyant and exacting styles favored and traded globally at this time — including in China, Japan, and Europe. Primarily intended for use at home, Chosŏn Korean porcelains reflect the tastes of elites who embraced a philosophy of restraint and modesty over extravagance.