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Korean earthenware

Prized antique Korean earthenware to be auctioned Sept. 11

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Korean earthenware
Crackled celadon-glazed tripod censer, Joseon Dunasty, Korea, 18th-19th century, embedded with white, black and copper-reds slip, key-fret patterns, beast knob, two upright handles. Est. $900-$1,100

NEW YORK – While Chinese and Japanese porcelain wares are revered and collected worldwide, Korean celadon earthenware is a lesser-known category within the Asian decorative art genre that is rapidly capturing the attention of collectors, who admire its simple elegance. An opportunity to purchase fine antique Korean earthenware awaits bidders on Tuesday, September 11 as Jasper52 presents a boutique auction of 47 premium-quality lots. Absentee and Internet live bidding is available exclusively through LiveAuctioneers.

A diverse offering, it includes Joseon Dynasty celadon-glazed vases, and other vessels, whose designs clearly influenced Western wares that followed.

Korean earthenware
Stem saucer, Joseon Dynasty, Korea, 15th-16th century. Est. $1,000-$1,200

Celadon  potters use their technical skills and conceptual sophistication to transform everyday motifs from nature — a lotus leaf, melon and bamboo, peony and chrysanthemum flower, or cranes and clouds — into a functional and aesthetically pleasing vessel.

Korean earthenware
Celadon-glazed lion-form water dropper, Joseon Dynasty, 18th-19th century. Est. $600-$700

Many motifs are also associated with Buddhism, Korea’s state religion. The celadon color effectively captures myriad hues of green, and its matte sheen reflects the luster of jade. Joseon ceramics from the 15th to 19th centuries range from plain, undecorated pieces to forms that are incised, carved, mold-impressed or inlaid, then embellished with red or black compounds.

Korean earthenware
Greyish celadon-glazed barrel-shape oil lamp, Joseon Dynasty, Korea, 17th century, with painted blue lines, two lobe handles connected with wire, and three tubular openings to the well, on a stand. Est. $900-$1,100

A very special addition to the auction is a painting titled Mt. Geumgang, A Sacred Mountain by North Korean artist Seonu Young (1946-2009). Born in Masan-dong, Pyongyang, Seonu started painting as a child, under the influence of his mother Noh Jeong-hee, an embroidery artist. After graduating from Pyongyang Art University, he painted at the artists’ commune Mansudae Studios, in line with the national party’s policy to develop subjective, realistic art of natural simplicity.

Korean earthenware
Seonu Young (Korean, 1946 -2009), Mt. Geumgang, A Sacred Mountain. Est. $2,000-$2,500

Without any Western influence, and in contrast to traditional North Korean paintings, Seonu went on to create his own vivid style by using rich, bold colors. His observant, tenacious technique remains unparalleled, making his work prestigious and sought after in the art world. Seonu also won the coveted Golden Richeng Award.

Seonu’s landscape painting Mt. Geumgang embodies the artist’s pure and simple approach. It would make a fitting cornerstone to any collection of Korean art and is entered in the September 11 sale with a $2,000-$2,500 estimate. Asian art insiders will recognize this auction as a rare opportunity to acquire a desirable, legally imported artwork that is of a type no longer able to be brought into the United States because of sanctions.

Explore the distinctive beauty of Korean earthenware and discover the honored art of Seonu Young in Jasper52’s Tuesday, September 11, 2018 auction, with absentee and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.

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