Double Gourd-Shaped Ewer - Essay Example

Double Gourd-shaped Ewer Visual Analysis In the heart Minneapolis in Minnesota is a place where you will find the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA). With a great passion to bring the concept of Arts closer to their people, a group of about 25 citizens from Minneapolis came together and established a Minneapolis society of fine arts and that’s how the MIA institute came to be. At the second floor of this Institute, there is a collection in which they have entirely dedicated for the Asian art which they have sub-divided into two formal departments. The Chinese and South and Southeast Asian Art section and a section for the Japanese and Korean Art are the occupants of this floor. In the Japanese and the Korean Art is the location where you find the beautiful captivating double gourd-shaped ewer with its root from the Korean potters of the Koryo dynasty. The artist who made this piece of art is not known but the gourd traces its back in the 12th century. TheDouble Gourd-shaped Ewer is an impeccable piece in the form of clay taking the shape of a pumpkin. The perfect appearance of this ewer gives it the perfect frame for it to serve as a tea pot. It is this glaze that gives it the light grey color with a shiny effect that attracts the attention of almost every person that sees it. The medium size of this ewer is well visible from a far considering its three dimension execution. The lines in this ewer follow a smooth execution which is a combination of both long and short lines. The horizontal dominance is obvious from far that curve themselves to present the perfect shape of the guard. The lines forming the lid of the ewer goes round horizontally curving themselves in order to produce the circular shape of the lid. The artist of this ewer followed a perfect execution of the color that is in brighter shade of grey and shadowy in nature that presents a cool effect when you look at the ewer. This color execution creates a sense of unity throughout the object and some circular movement effects. The saturation of the color changes when comparing it appearance from the top to the bottom with the bottom part having a higher level of saturation than the top. This arrangement creates a greater emphasis on the top most part of the ewer as you go down to the bottom of the pot. As you observe the ewer from back to the front, its value changes as the brightness of the object enhances more as you approach the front. A smooth texture is the first feeling you get the instance you look at the ewer even before you touch it. This type of texture creates a smooth flow in the pattern of execution which the artist wants to communicate. This enhances the feeling of appreciation considering that the ewer is tea conservation pot thus this feeling is appropriate with its use. The Background color complements the ewer even more thus a rhythmic appearance is evident since it appears to be moving in a circular direction. The shape at the bottom enhances the feeling of this movement owing to the fact that it is broader at the bottom. This perfect execution aligns it with its indigenous use. The artist’s execution of the color was industrious with the light generously reflecting on it creating the shiny effect. This shiny effect harmoniously runs from the top of the ewer to its bottom that is captivating. The original intent of the Ewer in Koryo dynasty was to serve as a teapot which I believe is its use to date. Therefore the radial balance at the bottom gives the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer a stable base to be able to hold the volume of tea. The line execution throughout this ewer is in unity from the handle to the lid up to the entire ewer. This harmony is given more emphasis as the artist has used similar texture through the entire object. Although the color in not entirely uniform in the object, the artist ensured to use complementally color in order to preserve the harmony. The curvy shape of the ewer creates an emotion that enhances the appetite to take tea as the illusion it creates is that of the beverage running from the mouth to the stomach. Its swollen bottom and curvy handle was the inspiration behind its name and thus the believe of long life which this ewer definitely creates.The manufacturing of this ewer follows the typical celadon ware with its inspiration from China and its color is from the shiny glaze. This glaze draws it similarity from the one China used although a slight difference exists in its thickness and the translucent nature. The shadow effects and the protruding bottom make it more visible and recognizable from a distance which is one of the qualities that a good piece of art should possess. Contextual Analysis The Koryo dynasty was at the time of the creation of the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer in a period of religious excitement thus this ewer was by all means driven by religious motives. The country at the time followed the Buddhism religion from their leaders to the fellow countrymen (Asian Art Museum). The period also culminated in a series of educated leaders and patrons whose hearts of modernity went beyond luxuries. Therefore in a bid to achieve these desires of improved art work they put pressures on the artisans of the time. The result of this pressure was the endless production of exemplary ceramics and celadon and other forms of art. It is at this particular period that the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer emerged fulfilling and exemplifying all the elite. Further religious representation of the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer explains the reasons for its shape. The Korean people valued guards and they used them a lot for storage purposes. They had a strong belief that a gourd had durability thus if they used them they would equally have a long life like that of the gourds (MIA). This believe resulted into a series of production of tea pots and wine vessels that the resembled that shape of the gourd. The gourd use also followed believes that the women will bear many children since they associated this with the numerous seeds that a ripe gourd has (MIA). The social-political relationship between China and the Koryo dynasty in the 12th century is the greatest idea behind the ewer evolvement. Initially, the designs greatly resembled the Chinese designs but as time went by the elite of the Koryo dynasty pushed for their own identity at that time (Adams 14). The ceramics in the Koryo dynasty constituted a gray- green hue which is the similar hue on the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer. Technologically, the China was way ahead of Korea in making the ceramics and the political friendliness between enabled Korea to borrow abit of this technology which they implemented in their own. The political rulers at the Koryo dynasty had turned to celadon ware to use in their royal palace similar to the Double Gourd-shaped Ewer (Metropolitan museum of Arts). High technological expertise revolved at the time and many ewers were a result of such technology give rise to refined shapes. This is the similar attribute that the artist who developed this double gourd shaped ewer followed. Comparing the various textures of the ewer that the Koryo dynasty produced in the period of 12th century, it is generally similar. The mode of manufacturing these ceramics is also similar and the fine glaze celadon is the same as for the doubled gourd-shaped ewer. All the ceramics were laid on cultural believes such that in the culture of the Koryo dynasty, they believed so much in the use of organic forms like fruits and vegetables to produce their ceramics. Just like the double gourd-shaped ewer which resembled a gourd, examples of other ewers resembled fruits like melon just like the famous wine ewer (Lamp). The method of producing these ceramics is quite common by majority of the porter. The double gourd-shaped ewer results from a process of incision to produce the elaborate arm and the shape of gourd. This is similar to the bird-shaped ewer that is also a product of incision to incorporate its entire element perfectly (Asian art 104). The ceramics are from a similar medium the iron-glaze celadon common to almost all the ceramics which is similar to the one that has produced the double gourd-shaped ewer. However, the double gourd-shaped ewer followed some elements of the Chinese culture and politics, which the Koryo dynasty had initially adopted. The differences then came after there were disputes creating the need for the Koreans to refine their own culture. Decorated ceramics therefore emerged that were distinct from other previous objects that contrasted the smoothness and non-decorated double gourd- shaped ewer (Encyclopædia Britannica). Other ewers emerged that was different in execution to define Korea religiously. From this need to seek independence other Buddhism religious representation came into the service like the dragon ewer which contrasted with the gourd execution of the double gourd-shaped ewer (MIA). The double gourd-shaped ewer has a very rich social context in the lives of the 12th century residents of Korea. Besides their cultural alignment with the gourd representation the ewer was socially important among the elite and political heads of the time. The luxurious need for the custom made ewer for only Korea was a representation of the need their own social and political identity. Although the guidelines were not specific for the double gourd-shaped ewer, the fact that its production was around that time bound it to follow similar guidelines as those of other ewers during the same period. In all dimensions, the double gourd-shaped ewer is a historical representation of the Koryo dynasty of Korea. Additionally, the religious aspect is obvious through believes of the potters’ significance of its shape. The social political aspects presented themselves in this ewer through knowledge borrowing which was made possible by the relationship between these aspects. References “Koryŏdynasty:Korean History.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2015. Web. 30 April 2015 Arts Connected.“Double Gourd-shaped Ewer”. Digital image. Minneapolis Institute of Arts.2009.Web.30 April 2015. Asian Art. “Bird Shaped Ewer with Crowned Rider Holding a Bowl.” Art Institvte Chicago. 2013. Web.30 April 2015. Lamp, Lucy. “Elements of Art: Texture.” Sophia. 2015. Web. 30Th April 2015. Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Gourd-Shaped Ewer. .Digital image. Web.30 April 2015. Read More