Large Korean jar with tortoise and crane designs

An image of Large jar with tortoise and crane designs. Unknown pottery, Korea, Kwangju, Punwon-ri kilns. The body of this jar is almost globular and the neck straight; the foot is wider than the neck, giving the jar a stable appearance. In four roundels around the sides, divine tortoises and cranes are arranged in alternation, with a cloud or auspicious vapour issuing from the mouth of each tortoise, and with lots of free space around the designs. The glaze is of milky-white colour and crackled, the body is thick and heavy. On the base is an unexplained straight incised line and traces of sandy supports adhere to the footring. Porcelain, thrown, painted in cobalt-blue, and glazed, height, whole, 31.0 cm, diameter, rim, 14.0 cm, diameter, foot, 15.0 cm, circa 1750-1800. Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Notes: Such jars (hangari) were used as wine vessels.

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Large jar with tortoise and crane designs. Unknown pottery, Korea, Kwangju, Punwon-ri kilns. The body of this jar is almost globular and the neck straight; the foot is wider than the neck, giving the jar a stable appearance. In four roundels around the sides, divine tortoises and cranes are arranged in alternation, with a cloud or auspicious vapour issuing from the mouth of each tortoise, and with lots of free space around the designs. The glaze is of milky-white colour and crackled, the body is thick and heavy. On the base is an unexplained straight incised line and traces of sandy supports adhere to the footring. Porcelain, thrown, painted in cobalt-blue, and glazed, height, whole, 31.0 cm, diameter, rim, 14.0 cm, diameter, foot, 15.0 cm, circa 1750-1800. Choson Dynasty (1392-1910). Notes: Such jars (hangari) were used as wine vessels.

Image data

Accession Number: C.21-1930
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H3DII-31
Photographer name: Katie Young
Image height: 952 pixels
Image width: 1024 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.4 (Windows)
Filesize: 508.09kB
Exposure time: 1/90
ISO Speed: 100
Fnumber: 22/1

Key words

18th Century birds blue blue and white Choson Dynasty Chosun crane divine Fitz_AA glazed globe globular jar Josean Korean porcelain roundels thrown

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025)
            "Large Korean jar with tortoise and crane designs"
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