Mid 19th Century Korean Joseon Dynasty Ceramic Dog Form Water Dropper

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A lovely Korean ceramic water dropper in the form of a sitting dog circa 19th century late Joseon Dynasty. The … Read more A lovely Korean ceramic water dropper in the form of a sitting dog circa 19th century late Joseon Dynasty. The charming animal form features underglaze blue paint outlining the furs along the spines and legs and iron red cluster markings scattered on the body. The eyes were highlighted with black enamels making the piece quite lively. A small opening on the head is for refill and a small sprout is hidden in the mouth. The base was left unglazed and shows some patina. A character "an" was found on the base as well, possibly indicating the owner of this piece.
Water dropper like this is an important component of scholar's desk items. It was used to add drops of water to the ink stone for grinding the ink before any handwriting could be performed. In Joseon dynasty, Confucianism dominates the ideology of the society and determined the morals and values of the men. Scholarly pursuits were greatly encouraged. This trend was reflected in the ceramic art as well. Humble and earthy ware with rustic yet refined decoration was much preferred.
For a similar water dropper of dog form. see illustration 207 on page 130 of "5000 Years of Korean Art".
Another example of a rooster form is illustrated 2-12 on page 146 of "Treasures from Korea Art and Cultures of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910". See less