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Box

청자 상감 국화·당초무늬 합 [靑磁象嵌菊花唐草文母子盒]

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty

(918–1392)
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Medium
pottery
Measurements
Overall: 2.9 x 9.9 cm (1 1/8 x 3 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of John L. Severance 1921.635.a
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

This ceramic container was used to store either incense or cosmetics.

Description

Celadons, spoons, seals, and bronze mirrors were the most common burial objects in tombs during the Goryeo period (918–1392). Once used to contain colored powder, rouge, and eyebrow gel for makeup, this small container was one of the standard goods that furnished tombs of the elites. Both women and men used the grain powder of rice or millet for whitening their skin, safflower extract for rouge, and plant ash or soot for eyebrow gel. Yet, natural-looking makeup seems to have been the most favorable one in Korea according to the travelogue by Xu Jing (1091–1153), the Chinese diplomat who visited Korea in 1123.
A circular ceramic vessel features a shallow, concave interior finished in a muted sage-green glaze. Dark pockmarks and subtle indentations scatter across the smooth surface. A thick, unglazed beige rim encircles the piece, marked by prominent chips and wear. Shadows pool within the center, accentuating the rounded form. The rough, neutral-toned clay of the exterior transitions into the glazed interior at the worn edges of the rim.

Box

918–1392

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

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