FLASK WITH DESIGN OF AUTUMN FLOWERS AND DRAGONFLY, JOSEON PERIOD, 1700s, BLUE-AND-WHITE PORCELAIN, THE MUSEUM OF ORIENTAL CERAMICS, OSAKA (GIFT OF THE SUMITOMO GROUP) – TAASA Review March 2013

Early Korean blue-and-white porcelains at their best are characterised by a painterly quality and possessed a lyrical sensibility, which was achieved through abbreviated brushwork and the delicate hues of the cobalt oxide. In the years following Hideyoshi’s military campaigns on the Korean peninsula in the late 16th century, cobalt pigment was difficult to obtain due to the extremely high cost of importing it (in the case of Chinese products) or to use because of its uneven quality (in the case of local products).

This resulted in the more widespread use of pigments with a high iron content to create reddish-brown underglaze designs.

In the 18th century, the challenging technique of underglaze copperred painting was revived for the decoration of white ware...