Korean

TEA BOWL

The stark simplicity of form and design is an appealing aspect of this small tea bowl. At first, one notices the wide, shallow shape perched upon a small round foot. But upon closer inspection, you realize this is a lotus blossom. The small notches on the bowl’s lip correspond to the undulating incised lines in the interior of the bowl and form the petals of a delicate flower.

This bowl along with others on view at The Dayton Art Institute has a greenish, celadon glaze characteristic of Korean ceramics from the Goryeo period (10th–14th century CE). But this vessel depends on a delicate interaction between shape and form for its impact