Haetae-shaped Porcelain Cup Stand

19th century, Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1897)

White Porcelain

 

This Cup Stand is in the shape of a lying Haetae whose head is twisted to the side with an open mouth. Two cranes can also be seen decorating the wings of the stand. 

​

Haetae is a Korean mythical beast believed to represent justice. They are usually carved into stone and can be often seen outside of Korean palaces to protect the Korean nation from foreign invasions.

​

The harmony between the figure's cute face and sharp teeth, the round dots on its entire body and its delicate tail are all strong attributes of the stand. The oval shape sitting on the Haetae's back, with a hole in it, suggests that this stand is for cups such as the gaehyungbae, which drains itself when the liquid is filled to a certain level. A deep green-bluish glaze is used on the entire surface. This style of white porcelain cup stand used to be produced at a kiln in Bunwon-ri, Gwangju, in the19th century.

 

For all inquiries, please contact: hancollection.london@gmail.com