Flattened Bottle

12cm x 5cm, 19th century, Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1897)

Stoneware with Iron Glaze

 

This flattened bottle, often known as 'pilgrim's bottle' boasts a fantastic honey coloured surface, created through the application of iron oxide to the stoneware body. It is full and rounded, with a short, thin neck, and wide base - which hadds a delicacy and grandeur to the overall composition of the bottle. 

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This glazing style was used to decorate other styles of ceramics. It is a deep brown, which exposes a lighter under colour - an effect probably created after two or more firings. The colour gives a beautiful dimension to the glaze, encapsulating the beauty of Korean ceramics - finding beauty and complexity in the simplest of forms.

 

The shape of the bottle gets its name from the common people who would use this form of ceramic to store water on long journeys. Given its flattened shape it was easy to be stored and carried either on the hip, or on the back with any other belongings for the long journey.

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