Calligraphy and Color: A Biography on Baekja Water Dropper Craft
Water-dropper (백자청동채복숭아형연적), Made of blue, copper-red underglaze ceramic, porcelain, 19th century, Joseon Dynasty, H. 26.45cm, The British Museum.
Introduction
When one thinks of Korean ceramic craft, the first image to come to mind would likely be that of the sea-green celadon pottery prominent during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 CE). However, during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910 CE) white porcelain took over as the predominant ceramic material. One reason for this was that the pure white color, coupled with simplistic designs, was seen as fitting to the ideals of Confucianism (“A Brief History of Korean Ceramics”)—the governing ideology that held predominance over all social, economic, and political matters of the Joseon period. Korean white porcelain, also known as baekja, came in the form of vases, cups, and jars, but one of the more distinct forms were water droppers. Water droppers were one of an array of instruments vital to the literati culture of Joseon Korea. The water dropper’s purpose is to help make ink for calligraphy—the calligrapher “holds water” in the water dropper “to drip onto an ink stone” and then “an ink stick is rubbed into the water to blend ink to the desire consistency” (Allen and Kim, 3). In examining its production process, the prominence of Confucian ideals in literati culture as well as Korea’s evolving economic relations with China during the Joseon period provide context to and elevate the cultural significance baekja water droppers.
Baekja
One 19th century peach-shaped water dropper, currently held by The British Museum, provides a great lens through which to examine the production process of late Joseon water droppers and how socio-economic circumstances influenced choices made in the manufacturing process. This particular water dropper was crafted in a Bunwon kiln in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province and it measures 26.45cm high by 25.32cm wide, quite large for a water dropper (“Water-Dropper”). Notably, Gwangju was considered one of the best sites for gathering porcelain clay during the late Joseon period. The clay found there was called mult’o, a mix of silicious clay and alumina, and it was used as glaze (Bang, “White Porcelain” 253). It is reasonable to assume that mult’o was used for this water dropper’s glaze. Additionally, the Bunwon kilns were a collection of kilns established and managed by the imperial court until the 1880s. As time progressed, baekja objects were made for more than just the court, including different divisions of the government, rich private buyers, and even the common people—the quality of their white ware items were naturally of lesser quality and not produced at the Bunwon until after the 1880s (Lee, “In Pursuit of White”). The water dropper’s pertinence to literati culture, as well as its origins in a Bunwon kiln, point to the likelihood that this peach water dropper possesses one of the highest porcelain qualities.
Constructing the Water-dropper
The body of this water dropper takes on an irregular shape as a peach, but the construction process likely closely followed that of any late Joseon water dropper. Professor Bang of Korea University breaks down the production process of a water dropper with dragon and cloud design openwork. Its production is as follows: first a thick bottom plate is made, and separately the body of the water dropper and subsequent internal parts (water tank, tank connector, pipes) are manufactured. Five holes are drilled half-way through the bottom plate along its border and one hole is drilled entirely through the center of the bottom plate. The internal water-holding parts are attached to the bottom plate, with pipes connecting the water tanks to the hole where water will be filled. A hole for the water outlet is drilled on the body and connected to the tank. The body is engraved and hollowed out for design, and then blue-and-white under-glazing, glazing, and firing finish the process (Bang, “Production Implication”). For the peach water dropper, the process was likely similar, but without the complexities that come with an openwork design. The peach shape of the body was made, and then two holes were drilled into it—one in the hollow part by the tip of the peach for pouring water in, and one at the end of a decorative branch on the other side for pouring water out. Notably, the peach-shape of the body features a rounded bottom, so it appears the artisans added “a coiling branch at the bottom… function[ing] as a stabilizing foot” (“Water-Dropper”). This was likely added at the same time as the other decorative branches were glued onto the body.
<백자청화투각운룡문연적>, Blue and white siphoned water dropper with openwork dragon and cloud design, 19th century, Joseon Dynasty, H. 11.5cm, The National Museum of Korea
(Bang, “Production Implication”)
Applied Technique vs Openwork Design
The décor of this peach-shaped water dropper consists of leaves, branches, and flowers that come off the surface of the body, as if they were separate porcelain pieces glued onto the body. This three-dimensional design was created using the applied design technique. Beginning its popularity in the late 18th century, the technique involved “each pattern [being] formed separately and then joined to the main body.” Other water droppers were made using openwork, a form of relief carving that created intricate, luxurious-looking designs (Bang, “White Porcelain” 280). The kind of decorative technique employed seems to influence the process of production; the openwork water dropper Bang described necessitated installing a more complex water-storage system compared to the simplistic storage allowed by the peach water dropper. Applied design technique attaches decorative elements to the body, rather than carving away at the body as in openwork.
Cobalt and Seokkanju
While the body of the water dropper takes on the typical white color of baekja, the leaves are painted a light blue and the flowers, some of the branches, and the tip of the peach are colored a coppery-red shade. This mixing of blue, red, and white represents baekja craft practices that formed due to economic relations with China during the early Joseon period. Blue pigment was made from cobalt, but Korea could not produce it, so the supply entirely depended on imports from China (Bang, “White Porcelain” 260-263). The pigment was “as highly valued as silver” (Bang, “White Porcelain” 276), and thus when trade relations with China were poor, imports decreased. The 17th century saw blue and white baekja proclaimed a luxury item and its production was banned, thought this was only followed for the second half of King Jeongjo’s reign (Bang, “White Porcelain” 260-263). Also, the difficulty of obtaining cobalt likely only added to its prestige and increased value even more. However, iron underglaze began to replace cobalt pigment during these times of minimal trade relations with China. Its main ingredient was iron oxide, as known as seokkanju, and it held prominence in Bunwons from the early Joseon period until the end of the 17th century (Bang, 264-265). This is the coppery-red color seen on the flowers, branches, and tip of the peach. However, this water dropper was made in 19th century, situating it outside the low-cobalt-import period of the 17th century. The presence of iron pigment in congruence with cobalt pigment on this 19th century water dropper indicates the continued relevance of, and genuine appreciation for, iron pigment in baekja craft culture.
Yangban Culture
The location of production at Bunwons, the high quality of materials, and the attention to detail necessary in the creation of water droppers underscore their value to a prestigious, high-class group of Korean society—the yangban. They were the scholar-officials of Joseon Korea, spending their time in pursuit of Confucian and Neo-Confucian scholarly knowledge and activities (Lee, “Yangban”). Writing was central to the literati culture of the yangban, and thus writing objects such as the inkstone, brushes, paper, and, of course, water droppers were indispensable to daily life. These items were meant to be “simple yet beautiful instruments” that were both used and displayed (Lee, “Yangban”). Thus, writing tools like the water dropper were physical representations of Confucian ideals of simplicity and the pursuit of knowledge. Additionally, Confucianism emphasized “the rigorous observance of rites and rituals” (Lee, “Yangban”). Calligraphy is one such ritual that water droppers play a key role in. That role may seem insignificant, but Confucian ideals encouraged yangban scholars to hold every element of scholarly ritual in high esteem.
Conclusion
Though they are small in both size and perceived significance, baekja water droppers encapsulate the Confucian values intrinsic to yangban literati culture. Not only are they an instrument of a Confucian activity—calligraphic ritual—that the court held expressed interest in, but they also physically demonstrate Confucian ideals through their meticulously designed and crafted shapes and decorations. Aside from sociopolitical principles, the history of economic relations with China in the 17th century culminates in the way baekja water droppers continued to be designed through the 19th century. The continuity of iron pigment usage even after cobalt became accessible again reveals the appreciation gained for the color, perhaps due to its earthy, natural tone which fit well with Confucian aesthetics. In future work, analyzing the significance of the decorative motifs chosen on a variety of late Joseon water droppers may reveal more about what ideas were most highly valued, and if those ideas aligned with the principles promoted by Confucianism.
Works Cited
“A Brief History of Korean Ceramics: A Guide to Ceramics: The Museum of Oriental Ceramics,Osaka.” A Brief History of Korean Ceramics | A Guide to Ceramics | The Museum of Oriental Ceramics,Osaka, https://www.moco.or.jp/en/intro/history_c/korea.php.
Allen, Robert B., and Yoonhwan Kim. "Semantic modeling with foundries." arXiv preprint arXiv:1801.00725 (2017).
Bang, Byungsun. “Production Implication of Joseon Technical Porcelain Focusing on the White Porcelain Water Dropper and The Siphoned Cup during the 19th Century.” Korean Journal of Art History, vol. 309, 2021, pp. 79–105., https://doi.org/10.31065/kjah.309.202103.003.
Bang, Byungsun. “White Porcelain Production Techniques in the Late Choson Dynasty.” Korea Journal, vol. 39, no. 1, Spring 1999, p. 249. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2393364&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Lee, Soyoung. “In Pursuit of White: Porcelain in the Joseon Dynasty, 1392–1910.” Metmuseum.org, Oct. 2004, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chpo/hd_chpo.htm.
Lee, Soyoung. “Yangban: The Cultural Life of the Joseon Literati.” Metmuseum.org, Oct. 2004, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yang/hd_yang.htm.
“Water-Dropper (백자청동채복숭아형연적 白磁靑銅彩桃形硯滴): British Museum.” The British Museum, https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1913-1007-3.