The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Water Ewer for Rituals (Kundika) with Incised Parrot Design

Water Ewer for Rituals (Kundika) with Incised Parrot Design

1100s
Location: 236 Korean

Did You Know?

Unlike most existing examples that have an image of a willow tree or lotus pond, this ewer bears an image of flying parrots delicately incised on its surface.

Description

This distinctively shaped celadon vessel is a kundika. With a spout on one side, this type of vessel is often used in Buddhist purification rituals. Unlike most existing examples that have an image of a willow tree, this work has a rare flying phoenix design incised on its surface. During the Goryeo period (918-1392), about 260 kilns operated in mainly Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces, meeting a soaring demand for high-end products like this example.
  • ?–1921
    (Dr. Alfred Irving Ludlow [1875–1961], Cleveland, OH, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1921–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Other types of Goryeo-period kundika can be found in the collection of the National Museum of Asian Art (Washington DC). asia.si.edu
    Cleveland Museum of Art, and Jenifer Neils. The World of Ceramics: Masterpieces from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Museum in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1982. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 134-135, no. 137
    Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918-1392. San Francisco: Asian Art Museum, 2003.
    Sŏn, Sŭng-hye. The Lure of Painted Poetry: Japanese and Korean Art. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011. Mentioned and Reproduced: P. 71-72, no. 65
    Korean art from the United States [미국, 한국미술을 만나다]. Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 2012. Reproduced: p. 18, no. 3
    Ku, Ir-hoe 구 일회 and Kang Kyŏng-nam 강 경남. Chʹŏnha cheil pisaek chʹŏngja [천하제일비색청자= The best under heaven the celadons of Korea]. Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 2012.
    Cleveland Museum of Art. The CMA Companion: A Guide to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2014. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 249
    Goryeo: The Glory of Korea [대고려, 그 찬란한 도전]. Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 2018.
    Sparkles of Jade: Goryeo Celadon [高麗青磁 : ヒスイのきらめき]. Ōsaka: Ōsaka: Shiritsu Tōyō Tōji Bijutsukan, 2018.
    McCormick, Sooa Im. "The Past and Present of the Korean Collection in the Cleveland Museum of Art." In The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, 국외소재문화재재단, and An Min-hŭi, ed., 22-37. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 33, fig. 31, P. 54-55
  • Ink, Paper, and Brush - Korean Gallery 236 Rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (July 24, 2019-January 26, 2020).
    Korean Gallery 236 Rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (July 16, 2018-January 20, 2019).
    Korean Art from the United States. National Museum of Korea, Seoul, Korea (Republic of) (organizer) (June 4-August 5, 2012).
    Object in Focus: Kundika. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 15-September 14, 2003).
  • {{cite web|title=Water Ewer for Rituals (Kundika) with Incised Parrot Design|url=false|author=|year=1100s|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1921.631