Octagonal White Porcelain Wine Bottle with Characters in Underglaze Cobalt Blue

This vessel from from the late Joseon Dynasty features an elongated neck with a lip, wide body with gently faceted sides, and a octagonal faceted foot, as well as two characters in a clear, dark cobalt underglaze. This shape of vessel was carved from a smooth, wheel-thrown bottle while partially dried. The eight sides were cut away using a specialized flat-edged blade or bamboo knife. When fired, the white glaze flowed away from the facets, increasing the appearance of depth and dimension. The eight sides align with Confucian philosophy of intellectual discipline and restraint, popular during the period.

The characters 福 and 壽 (wealth and longevity) are within stylized lotus flowers. The relaxation of royal restrictions of decoration in the late Joseon period allowed these characters to be used on vessels outside of the court for the first time. The geometric caligraphy style is intentionally meant to mimic the vertical lines of the facets. Bottles of this variety were used in wealthy homes to store and serve rice wine during banquets, special gatherings, and ancestral rituals. Additionally, the octagonal shape, minimal decoration, and stylized hanja characters made vessels like this aesthetically pleasing to the scholars of the period and who often used them as decor when not filled.