{"title":"Kim Yong Seop","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"celadon-gye-young-bae-sobriety-cup-flowing-yeonri-pattern-created-from-three-clays-by-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Gye-Young Bae: Flowing Yeonri Pattern Created from Three Clays By Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Where the boundary between intention and surrender becomes art.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt first glance, this set appears almost hypnotic—its undulating lines ripple like silk caught in motion. But beneath the visual rhythm lies something deeper: a vessel shaped not only for beauty, but for wisdom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a Gye-young Bae—a sobriety cup—whose structure gently enforces moderation. When filled beyond its unseen threshold, the liquid vanishes through a hidden internal passage. This is not a flaw, but a reminder: that excess empties, and balance endures.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCrafted entirely by hand on the potter’s wheel by master artisan Kim Yong-Seop, the form is compact, elegant, and demanding in its execution. But it is the surface that astonishes: a swirling pattern known as Yeonri (연리문), achieved through the precise layering and manipulation of three differently coloured clays. The process walks a tightrope between control and chaos—too much blending, and the colours muddy; too little, and they fracture. Each piece emerges with its own rhythm, its own unpredictable logic. No two will ever be the same.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThough developed during the Goryeo period, this technique has remained elusive—its complexity making it far less common than the well-known sanggam inlay. Here, the artist revives it with clarity and boldness. The result is neither ornamental nor austere—it is alive, as if the clay itself remembers how to move.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis work is as much about experience as it is about form. The mysterious mechanism of the Gye-young Bae invites interaction; the shifting Yeonri patterns encourage long contemplation. Together, they ask us not only to pour, but to pause.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 12 cm (4.72 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWidth- 12 cm (4.72 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLength- 16 cm (6.3 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"About Celadon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49611782881511,"sku":null,"price":540.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/BCBF4E13-E820-4427-854B-164383CB4097.jpg?v=1716604471"},{"product_id":"aster-artisan","title":"Celadon Covered Box: Flowing Yeonri Pattern by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the unique beauty and functionality of our Korean Traditional Handmade Celadon Covered Box with Mixed Clay Design (청자 연리문 향합). Historically used for storing a lady’s makeup powder or incense, this exquisite covered box now serves as a versatile container for keeping small valuable items.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted from three colors of mixed clays, each box showcases the artist’s high level of skill and precision. The process demands exact timing; if the clays are mixed too much, the distinct colors won’t separate clearly, resulting in a unique pattern every time. Due to the high failure rate, each box is truly one-of-a-kind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mixed clay design, known as 연리문 (yeon ri moon), originates from the Goryeo dynasty era of celadon craftsmanship. Despite its exquisite beauty, this technique did not become mainstream due to its complexity, with inlaid celadon dominating the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect as a thoughtful gift or for those who appreciate unique, handmade items, this celadon covered box is a beautiful addition to any collection. Celebrate Korean artistry with this extraordinary piece, blending tradition with contemporary functionality. Add a touch of elegance and cultural significance to your home with this remarkable celadon box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDIameter- 11 cm (4.33 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 4 cm (1.57 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"About Celadon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\" title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\" title=\"Master Artisan Collection\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49733822709991,"sku":null,"price":230.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/67A8E271-CFBC-4A1B-82C4-3CCCC430E7AD.jpg?v=1717744786"},{"product_id":"celadon-vase-with-flowing-yeonri-pattern-a-masterpiece-by-a-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Vessel: Flowing Yeonri Pattern","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Where stillness meets movement, and form becomes meditation.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis extraordinary celadon vase, crafted by celebrated artisan Kim Yong-Seob of Icheon, embodies the quiet tension between control and spontaneity. Made using a rare three-colour mixed clay technique, its surface reveals the swirling Yeonri pattern—an effect that evokes rising smoke or wind dancing through a forest. This process requires exacting precision; over-mixing the clays would blur the contrasts, while under-working them risks fracture. Each vase is thus a singular expression of both mastery and risk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe carved vertical ridges, evenly spaced with astonishing regularity, add a sculptural rhythm to the rounded form. As light moves across the surface, the interplay of colour and texture creates a sense of living depth—cool, serene, and quietly expressive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Yeonri pattern dates back to the Goryeo dynasty, yet its elusive nature kept it from becoming widespread. This piece revives that forgotten complexity, offering a tactile and visual experience that feels both ancient and modern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether set alone on a low table or paired with minimalist florals, this vase brings presence without ostentation. Its weight, its curves, its shifting palette—all speak to a sensibility that values craftsmanship over excess, and emotion over spectacle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA contemplative centrepiece for interiors that embrace calm elegance.\u003cbr\u003eA gift for those who seek meaning in material and soul in design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 18 cm (7.08 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 19 cm (7.48 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49745395613927,"sku":null,"price":2000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/01B2AECE-FDFD-439F-BA65-CC236A8F350E.jpg?v=1717907840"},{"product_id":"celadon-gye-yeong-bae-embossed-crane-motif-by-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Gye-yeong Bae: Embossed Crane Motif by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Where restraint becomes elegance, and balance is quietly profound.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first glance, this celadon vessel may appear playful—its proportions charming, its structure curious. But as one pours, a quiet lesson reveals itself. This is a Gye-yeong Bae, a “sobriety cup”—a drinking vessel designed not to overflow, but to teach. Fill it beyond a certain point, and the liquid vanishes through its hidden conduit. It is not broken. It is wise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted by master artisan Kim Yong-Seop—a revered figure in the tradition of Icheon ceramics—this set is a study in philosophical form. Both the cup and the pot feature twin cranes in embossed relief, their wings outstretched in mirrored flight. Their presence is not ornamental; it is intentional. In East Asian symbology, cranes embody longevity, but here they also suggest duality, grace, and the aspiration to rise above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surface is covered in a luminous celadon glaze, whose intricate crackled webbing (craquelure) invites close observation. Each line tells of time, temperature, and the slow dance of glaze over clay. The form, though compact, is complex: the spout curves like a question, while the internal structure—visible only when lifting the cup—reveals the hidden mechanism through which excess is humbly returned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of this form stretches far beyond its clay. Historically, the Gye-yeong Bae is tied to the tale of a once-wealthy artisan who, having squandered his fortune in indulgence, returned to his teacher in shame. In penance, he created this cup—a vessel to caution against excess. It was later owned by a legendary merchant who, by keeping the cup close, governed his desires and prospered through moderation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis set is not merely for pouring drink; it is for pouring thought. A functional sculpture. A vessel of introspection. A reminder, perhaps, that more is not always better—and that elegance lies in knowing when to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach set is carefully wheel-thrown and finished by hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs such, subtle variations in form, glaze, or motif placement may occur—traces not of imperfection, but of human presence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 12 cm (4.72 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWidth- 12 cm (4.72 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLength- 16 cm (6.3 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51505323507943,"sku":null,"price":414.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/27D316A7-2990-4EA9-8F13-135345C9BC47.jpg?v=1761518848"},{"product_id":"celadon-vase-couple-of-cranes-in-relief-carving-by-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Vase: Relief-Carved Pair of Cranes Motif by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Where silence breathes, and flight begins from stillness.“\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt once minimal and monumental, this round-bodied celadon vase invites the gaze to slow. Its surface, cloaked in an ethereal blue-green glaze with soft craquelure, seems less like ceramic than like moonlight held in shape. It is both vessel and void—an homage to what is said by what is left unsaid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form itself defies convention. There is no defined neck or spout—only a gentle opening, slightly recessed into the spherical mass. This structural decision, deceptively simple in appearance, posed a technical risk during firing. Without the reinforcement of a neck, the body is more prone to collapse in the kiln. Master artisan Kim Myung-Sub of Icheon—a renowned figure in Korean ceramics—undertook this challenge with resolve, embracing failure as part of form. What emerged is not merely a vase, but a quiet triumph of balance over fragility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdorning the surface are two white cranes, delicately rendered in raised relief. They are neither crowded nor central; they float in a sea of celadon glaze, their wings extended mid-flight. The pairing is intentional—a symbol of harmony and companionship, of duality in motion. The surrounding expanse is unmarked, amplifying the presence of these two figures and honouring the philosophy of negative space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crackled glaze, known as bingyeol, adds subtle movement to the still form—fine as veins beneath translucent jade. The absence of overt decoration becomes its greatest strength. Here, restraint becomes resonance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 22.5 cm (8.86 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 25 cm (9.84 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"About Celadon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\" title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\" title=\"Master Artisan Collection\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51510605349095,"sku":null,"price":1520.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/D37897F9-B2CF-4699-862F-B9214004A7EB.jpg?v=1761622510"},{"product_id":"celadon-vase-ho-high-relief-pair-of-cranes-by-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Vase (Ho): High-Relief Pair of Cranes by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThose who choose slowly, and prefer silence in an object over spectacle, tend to return to a form like this.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Blue-green light seems to pause on its surface.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt once minimal and monumental, this round-bodied celadon vase invites sustained looking. Its blue-green glaze has the depth of translucent jade, and its soft craquelure gives the surface a quiet, internal animation—subtle, persistent, never decorative for its own sake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaster artisan Kim Yong-Seop of Icheon approaches celadon as an exercise in restraint, where the smallest change alters the entire balance. In this new work, the most telling departure is the mouth, drawn longer than before. That extension is a measured risk: it lifts the profile, narrows the margin for error, and asks the body to remain stable beneath a more pronounced upward line. The vase answers with composure, its volume holding the tension without strain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the shoulder, a pair of cranes is modelled in pale relief, wings spread mid-flight. They are not placed as a central emblem; instead, they hover within a wide expanse of unmarked glaze. This restraint amplifies their presence. In Korean visual culture, cranes are enduring symbols of longevity and integrity; shown as a pair, they also speak to harmony and companionship—two beings moving together through open space. The motif reads as a concluding note rather than an assertion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crackled glaze—bingyeol—threads fine lines beneath the light, giving the still form a sense of time held in suspension. Here, celadon’s natural splendour meets the minimal finish of the paired cranes, and the harmony is achieved through what is left untouched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 24 cm (9.45 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 22.5 cm (8.86 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"About Celadon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\" title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\" title=\"Master Artisan Collection\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51794840846567,"sku":null,"price":1520.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/75CF9EAE-8936-404E-98DD-84518205DBD3.jpg?v=1771451419"},{"product_id":"white-porcelain-covered-box-lotus-motif-by-master-artisan","title":"White Porcelain Covered Box: Lotus Motif by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 8.5cm (3.35 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 4cm (1.57 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"About white porcelain in artinko.com\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-white-porcelain\"\u003eAbout White Porcelain\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\" title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\" title=\"Master Artisan Collection\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"White Porcelains","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51814711427303,"sku":null,"price":126.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/198271D7-EAE8-4A74-B867-1D6D0C9CBD74.jpg?v=1771902430"},{"product_id":"white-porcelain-covered-box-chrysanthemum-and-scrolling-vine-motif-by-master-artisan","title":"White Porcelain Covered Box: Inlaid Chrysanthemum and Scrolling Vine Motif by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 8.5cm (3.35 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 4cm (1.57 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\" style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"White Porcelains","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51822820458727,"sku":null,"price":126.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/D060C40A-181C-49A2-AEDD-788C761424F3.jpg?v=1772216513"},{"product_id":"celadon-vessel-ho-pine-in-relief-and-inlaid-crane-motif","title":"Celadon Vessel (Ho): Pine in Relief and Inlaid Crane Motif","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt is chosen by those who recognize that true presence rarely announces itself.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“A still world gathers beneath the glaze, where endurance and passage meet in luminous quiet.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis celadon jar by Kim Yong-Seop of Icheon is defined by a composure that feels both spare and exacting. Its near-spherical body rises without the reassurance of a pronounced neck, opening only slightly at the summit, as though the form had been drawn inward rather than extended outward. Such restraint is not merely aesthetic. In a vessel of this kind, the absence of a developed neck increases the difficulty of achieving stability in the kiln, and so the serenity of the final silhouette carries within it a hidden technical resolve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe surface is organised around an old pine rendered in embossed relief, its trunk and branches unfolding across the generous curve of the body with measured authority. This choice of motif is inseparable from the form itself. On so broad and continuous a field, the pine serves not as embellishment but as structure: it anchors the eye, distributes visual weight, and draws the gaze gradually around the vessel’s circumference. The composition therefore does not interrupt the jar’s rounded fullness; it inhabits it, allowing image and volume to remain in quiet accord.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat lends the pine its particular distinction is the extraordinary refinement of its making. The tree is first brought forward in low relief, then worked again with finely incised lines that articulate the grain of the trunk and the delicate spread of the needles. This secondary cutting is crucial. It prevents the raised surface from becoming merely mass, giving it instead an inner vibration, a sense of age, breath, and tensile life. One becomes aware here of the master’s discipline: volume is established with restraint, then animated through incision so subtle that the hand remains present without ever becoming insistent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAround and between the branches, cranes appear with remarkable lightness. Their bodies are set into the surface with delicacy, so that they seem less attached to the jar than momentarily held within it. They do not crowd the composition, nor are they gathered into a fixed emblematic centre. Instead, they move through intervals of open ground, and it is precisely this spacing that gives them grace. In Korean visual tradition, the pairing of pine and crane carries longstanding associations with longevity, steadfastness, dignity, and auspicious continuity. Here, that symbolism is handled with notable intelligence: the pine offers permanence, while the cranes introduce passage; one holds, the other traverses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe celadon glaze gathers these elements into a single atmospheric field. Its blue-green tone possesses a quiet radiance, while the fine craquelure spreads across the surface like an intimate record of fire and cooling. Rather than functioning as embellishment, this network of lines softens transitions between relief, incision, and open space, so that the vessel reads as one continuous skin of light. The result is neither wholly pictorial nor wholly sculptural. It exists, more compellingly, between the two.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEqually important is what has been left undisturbed. The work depends upon reserves of open surface, and these areas of calm are not empty in any diminished sense. They are the conditions that allow the pine to extend with gravity and the cranes to move without noise. This measured use of negative space gives the jar its monumental character. What first appears restrained gradually reveals itself as deeply composed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOver time, the vessel discloses its full authority slowly: ancient pine held in raised contour, cranes passing in lucid intervals, and a glaze that receives light with the patience of something long remembered. It does not simply depict longevity; it gives form to a way of enduring.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 29 cm (11.42 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 29 cm (11.42 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-white-porcelain\" title=\"About white porcelain in artinko.com\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51947114234087,"sku":null,"price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/CELADON_JAR_HO_PINE_IN_RELIEF_AND_INLAID_CRANE_MOTIF.jpg?v=1775469754"},{"product_id":"celadon-vessel-danji-yeollimun-mixed-clay-technique","title":"Celadon Vessel (Danji): Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis work belongs to a collector who looks for cultural memory not in ornament alone, but in the discipline by which a material is brought into order.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The jar appears to breathe through its surface, as if mist, clay, and time had settled into one rounded form.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim Yong Seop’s Korean Celadon Jar: Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique presents a contemporary continuation of a rare ceramic language known from the Goryeo period. As an Icheon master ceramist, Kim approaches Yeollimun not as revival for its own sake, but as a demanding structure of thought: the pattern must be born within the clay, yet brought into visible order through deliberate forming, cutting, and firing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form is deliberately restrained. A compact foot anchors the vessel, the body expands into a generous spherical volume, and the shoulder closes gently towards a narrow mouth. This controlled profile allows the surface to be read slowly. The jar does not rely on pictorial imagery; instead, its meaning unfolds through rhythm, density, and the movement of clay itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeollimun is often described through its resemblance to marbling or wood grain, but in this work the comparison is only a beginning. The white, celadon, and dark clays have been mixed so that their colours remain distinct while also entering into a shared flow. This balance is difficult to maintain. If the clay is overworked, the colours lose their independence; if it is not sufficiently worked, air and uneven structure may cause failure in the kiln. The visible pattern therefore records a highly disciplined negotiation between softness and control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vertical grooves are central to the object’s intelligence. After wheel-throwing, the surface has been carved at even intervals, creating a ribbed structure that draws the eye from foot to mouth. Yet these grooves are not independent from the Yeollimun movement beneath them. They appear to have been cut in conscious relation to the mixed-clay pattern, allowing the darker and lighter passages to gather, repeat, and intensify across the curvature of the body. The result is neither purely natural nor mechanically regular. It is a composed meeting between accident and judgement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround the middle of the jar, the darker pattern forms a horizontal zone, almost like a band of compressed breath. Above it, the vertical lines feel lighter and more open; below it, the pattern thickens and becomes more mineral, more inward. This arrangement gives the jar a sense of gravity. The eye is held at the centre before being released upward towards the mouth or downward towards the foot. In this way, the vessel guides viewing through its own structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin Korean ceramic history, Yeollimun carries the quiet dignity of a path less widely preserved. Though known in the Goryeo period, it did not achieve the same public familiarity as other celebrated forms of Goryeo celadon because its process was difficult to control and unsuited to easy repetition. Kim Yong Seop’s work therefore has significance beyond surface beauty. It participates in the continuation of a fragile ceramic memory, one that nearly receded from common recognition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blue-green glaze gives the jar a subdued luminosity. It does not cover the Yeollimun pattern so much as hold it in suspension. Reflections pass across the ribs, while the darker clay appears and disappears according to angle and light. The rounded body rewards rotation: each view reveals a slightly different relationship between vertical carving, horizontal banding, and the internal flow of mixed earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a vessel, it is not visually static. Its presence changes with looking. From the front, it appears composed and balanced; from an angle, the ribbed surface begins to move; seen from above, the small mouth becomes a dark centre within the radiating structure of the clay. The work carries the memory of the wheel, the pressure of the hand, the difficulty of firing, and the long patience required to make uncertainty behave without silencing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis jar stands as a contemporary vessel of inheritance: quiet, exacting, and deeply Korean in its understanding that beauty may arise when nature is guided, not conquered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 18 cm (7.08 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 16 cm (6.3 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52029311058151,"sku":null,"price":2871.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/57A61463-D516-41CC-93FE-D6BB6028EFFF.jpg?v=1777702751"},{"product_id":"celadon-vessel-ho-yeollimun-mixed-clay-technique-by-master-artisan","title":"Celadon Vessel (Ho): Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique by Master Artisan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis work belongs to a collector who looks for cultural memory not in ornament alone, but in the discipline by which a material is brought into order.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The jar appears to breathe through its surface, as if mist, clay, and time had settled into one rounded form.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim Yong Seop’s Korean Celadon Jar: Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique presents a contemporary continuation of a rare ceramic language known from the Goryeo period. As an Icheon master ceramist, Kim approaches Yeollimun not as revival for its own sake, but as a demanding structure of thought: the pattern must be born within the clay, yet brought into visible order through deliberate forming, cutting, and firing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form is deliberately restrained. A compact foot anchors the vessel, the body expands into a generous spherical volume, and the shoulder closes gently towards a narrow mouth. This controlled profile allows the surface to be read slowly. The jar does not rely on pictorial imagery; instead, its meaning unfolds through rhythm, density, and the movement of clay itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeollimun is often described through its resemblance to marbling or wood grain, but in this work the comparison is only a beginning. The white, celadon, and dark clays have been mixed so that their colours remain distinct while also entering into a shared flow. This balance is difficult to maintain. If the clay is overworked, the colours lose their independence; if it is not sufficiently worked, air and uneven structure may cause failure in the kiln. The visible pattern therefore records a highly disciplined negotiation between softness and control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vertical grooves are central to the object’s intelligence. After wheel-throwing, the surface has been carved at even intervals, creating a ribbed structure that draws the eye from foot to mouth. Yet these grooves are not independent from the Yeollimun movement beneath them. They appear to have been cut in conscious relation to the mixed-clay pattern, allowing the darker and lighter passages to gather, repeat, and intensify across the curvature of the body. The result is neither purely natural nor mechanically regular. It is a composed meeting between accident and judgement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround the middle of the jar, the darker pattern forms a horizontal zone, almost like a band of compressed breath. Above it, the vertical lines feel lighter and more open; below it, the pattern thickens and becomes more mineral, more inward. This arrangement gives the jar a sense of gravity. The eye is held at the centre before being released upward towards the mouth or downward towards the foot. In this way, the vessel guides viewing through its own structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin Korean ceramic history, Yeollimun carries the quiet dignity of a path less widely preserved. Though known in the Goryeo period, it did not achieve the same public familiarity as other celebrated forms of Goryeo celadon because its process was difficult to control and unsuited to easy repetition. Kim Yong Seop’s work therefore has significance beyond surface beauty. It participates in the continuation of a fragile ceramic memory, one that nearly receded from common recognition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blue-green glaze gives the jar a subdued luminosity. It does not cover the Yeollimun pattern so much as hold it in suspension. Reflections pass across the ribs, while the darker clay appears and disappears according to angle and light. The rounded body rewards rotation: each view reveals a slightly different relationship between vertical carving, horizontal banding, and the internal flow of mixed earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a vessel, it is not visually static. Its presence changes with looking. From the front, it appears composed and balanced; from an angle, the ribbed surface begins to move; seen from above, the small mouth becomes a dark centre within the radiating structure of the clay. The work carries the memory of the wheel, the pressure of the hand, the difficulty of firing, and the long patience required to make uncertainty behave without silencing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis jar stands as a contemporary vessel of inheritance: quiet, exacting, and deeply Korean in its understanding that beauty may arise when nature is guided, not conquered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 18 cm (7.08 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 16.5 cm (6.5 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52072151122151,"sku":null,"price":1130.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/D4DC2A71-D70F-4EAE-99A9-BC6F74798C56.jpg?v=1778936066"},{"product_id":"celadon-long-vessel-yeollimun-mixed-clay-technique-with-crane-motif-2024","title":"Celadon Long Vessel: Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique with Crane Motif, 2024","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis work is chosen by those who recognise that a traditional technique may remain alive only when it is allowed to move beyond repetition.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Seven cranes rise diagonally across the vessel, as though the earth beneath them were gradually becoming sky.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated in 2024 by \u003cstrong\u003eKim Yong Seop, an Icheon master ceramist\u003c\/strong\u003e, this long celadon Ho brings together the rare \u003cstrong\u003eYeollimun mixed-clay technique\u003c\/strong\u003e, a carefully ribbed surface, and seven cranes arranged in upward flight. Its significance lies not in any one of these elements independently, but in the way each has been composed to direct the viewer from density towards release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYeollimun begins before the vessel possesses its final shape. Differently coloured clays are brought together while retaining enough distinction for their separate tonal identities to remain visible. The resulting pattern resembles mineral veining, flowing water or shifting geological strata, yet none of these comparisons fully explains it. The pattern is not a picture of nature. It is the visible consequence of material being folded, compressed and reorganised.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis distinction is essential to the work. The surface does not imitate movement; it contains the physical record of movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim then places that material uncertainty under discipline through a dense sequence of vertical ribs. Repeated from foot towards shoulder, the carved channels impose a measurable structure over the changing mixed-clay pattern. Yet the two systems never coincide completely. The ribs remain regular while the clay beneath them shifts from dark to light, thick to thin, compressed to open. The vessel therefore holds two temporalities at once: the unpredictability of material formation and the repeated rhythm of deliberate carving.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts elongated form further clarifies this tension. A more rounded jar tends to return the gaze towards its centre. Here, the higher oval body encourages the eye to travel. The narrow lower section expands steadily before turning inward near the shoulder, so that the form possesses both grounded weight and upward direction. The small mouth does not dominate the silhouette; instead, it acts almost as the final point of a long vertical gathering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eseven cranes\u003c\/strong\u003e extend this movement beyond the structure of the vessel itself. They do not form a level procession. Instead, they are distributed diagonally, rising towards the upper left in successive stages. Some occupy the lower zones of the body, others appear higher towards the shoulder, so that the composition reads as an ascent rather than a repeated motif.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis arrangement is particularly effective because it resists symmetry. Had the birds been placed evenly around the centre, the vessel would have become more emblematic and static. Their diagonal progression introduces direction. The viewer instinctively follows the sequence upward, moving from one crane to the next. In this sense, the cranes do not simply inhabit the vessel; they organise the act of looking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin Korean visual culture, cranes have long carried associations of \u003cstrong\u003elongevity, nobility, spiritual refinement and the meeting of earthly and celestial realms\u003c\/strong\u003e. Their meaning here is strengthened by posture. These are not cranes standing beside water or resting within landscape. They are cranes in flight. The symbolic language therefore shifts from endurance alone towards elevation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe presence of seven birds adds another layer, but one that should remain interpretively measured. Seven may be understood in broader symbolic traditions as a number associated with completeness or a fulfilled sequence. Without an explicit statement from the maker, it would be too definite to assign the number a single historical Korean meaning. More convincing is the visual evidence: seven provides enough repetition for flight to become progression. One crane might be an image; seven become a movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why the relationship between \u003cstrong\u003enumber, crane and ascent\u003c\/strong\u003e feels coherent. The seven birds establish rhythm, the crane introduces the cultural language of longevity and elevated spirit, and the diagonal direction converts those meanings into physical movement. The work does not state prosperity or transcendence literally. It allows them to emerge through composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe celadon glaze holds the entire structure within a subdued blue-green atmosphere. It softens the contrast between the mixed clays without erasing their complexity, while reflections gather strongly along the carved ribs. As the vessel is turned, dark passages appear to deepen and dissolve, and cranes that were previously hidden enter the field of vision. No single viewpoint gives a complete reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis circumferential experience is important. The work asks the viewer to move around it, and in doing so to reconstruct the ascent gradually. One encounters a crane, then another, then a shifting band of mixed clay, then another bird at a higher level. Looking becomes sequential. The physical act of circling the vessel begins to echo the temporal process by which it was made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work therefore reaches beyond the preservation of Yeollimun as a rare technique. Kim Yong Seop uses the technique as a material ground upon which another idea can unfold. The clay carries the memory of earth under pressure; the ribs bring that movement into order; the cranes release the composition upward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat remains is a distinctly Korean meditation on control without rigidity. The vessel begins with mixed earth, submits that earth to structure, and finally allows seven cranes to rise across it. \u003cstrong\u003eMaterial becomes rhythm, rhythm becomes flight, and the weight of clay is made to imagine the sky.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 23cm (9.05 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 32cm (12.6 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52322186494183,"sku":null,"price":8910.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/Kim-Yong-Seop-Celadon-Long-Vase-Yeollimun-Mixed-Clay-Technique-Main-01.png?v=1788647772"},{"product_id":"celadon-vessel-paired-cranes-in-raised-relief-with-red-sun-2024","title":"Celadon Vessel: Paired Cranes in Raised Relief with Red Sun, 2024","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis vessel is chosen by those who understand that restraint is not emptiness, but a disciplined decision about what must remain visible.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The sun holds its place while two cranes pass through the vastness of the glaze.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated in 2024 by \u003cstrong\u003eKim Yong-seop, Master Ceramic Artisan of Icheon\u003c\/strong\u003e, this celadon vessel brings a small symbolic scene into relation with an unusually complete spherical body. The work is not organised as a decorated jar with a motif applied to its surface. Rather, the form itself becomes the condition within which the motif can exist: the rounded body provides sky, distance, horizonless space, and a quiet sense of enclosure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vessel rises from a narrow foot into a broad, nearly globular volume. Instead of narrowing into a distinct neck, the shoulder continues upwards and closes around a recessed circular mouth. This decision removes the usual transition between body and neck, allowing the eye to travel over the surface without interruption. The object appears gathered into itself, as though its entire structure has been held within a single breath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis continuity is both visual and technical. A conventional neck can help stabilise the upper portion of a vessel and provide a defined point of structural closure. Here, that support is reduced. The form must therefore maintain its rounded tension without the assistance of a pronounced vertical element. During drying and firing, any imbalance in wall thickness or curvature may lead to sagging, deformation, or collapse. The finished vessel’s apparent serenity is consequently inseparable from the difficulty of preserving its shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shallow mouth contributes to this reading. From a distance, it almost disappears into the silhouette, allowing the vessel to approach the condition of a complete sphere. Seen from above, however, the opening reasserts the object’s identity as a vessel. The work moves between two understandings: it is an enclosed sculptural volume, yet it remains a hollow form with an interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two cranes occupy only a small portion of the body. This asymmetry is essential. Had they been enlarged or centrally positioned, they would have dominated the vessel as an illustration. Instead, they appear to cross an already existing expanse. The celadon surface precedes them and continues beyond them. Their flight is therefore understood through the surrounding space as much as through their own modelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cranes are formed in raised relief, lifting slightly from the blue-green ground. Their white bodies create immediate contrast, while the darker accents in their feathers, beaks, and trailing legs preserve a sense of graphic precision. The relief is controlled rather than heavily sculptural. It provides enough projection for the birds to catch light and cast shadow, but not so much that they separate from the curvature beneath them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir positions establish a subtle sequence. One crane advances slightly ahead, while the second follows in close relation. The pair therefore suggests companionship without static symmetry. They are joined by direction rather than by identical posture. This distinction gives the scene emotional restraint: the relationship is visible, but it is not overstated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Korean culture, the crane has long carried associations with longevity, dignity, spiritual elevation, and the cultivated life. As a pair, the birds can also evoke fidelity, harmony, and the continuation of a shared path. Kim’s composition avoids placing these meanings within an elaborate landscape. By removing trees, mountains, and architecture, he isolates the essential relationship between the two figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe red sun alters the entire reading of the composition. Its scale is small, yet its colour gives it considerable authority. Placed apart from the cranes, it establishes a triangular relationship among the two birds and the circular red form. The eye moves from the sun towards the cranes, then outward across the unoccupied glaze. This arrangement gives direction to an otherwise seamless spherical body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sun also introduces time. Without it, the cranes might appear suspended in an abstract celadon field. With it, the field becomes atmospheric: a dawn sky, an auspicious beginning, or a moment of passage under enduring light. In Korean symbolic imagery, the sun may be understood as a sign of life, renewal, constancy, and ordered continuity. Here, it does not overwhelm the scene. It remains a single measured presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe glaze serves as more than colour. Its luminous blue-green tone gives the spherical body a depth that shifts according to illumination. The fine crackling spreads across the surface like a secondary drawing, quieter than the cranes and sun but active throughout the vessel. These lines prevent the open areas from becoming visually blank. They allow the apparently undecorated field to remain alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis relationship between crackle and relief is particularly important. The crackling belongs to the surface itself, while the cranes rise above it. One is dispersed and continuous; the other is concentrated and figurative. The red sun, meanwhile, operates as a flat chromatic mark. Three distinct visual languages therefore coexist: the network of the glaze, the physical projection of the cranes, and the concentrated circle of colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spherical body rewards movement around the piece. From the front, the birds and sun form a contained scene. Seen from an angle, the cranes begin to follow the curvature and appear to move away from the viewer. As the vessel is turned further, the motif recedes and the celadon field takes precedence. The object therefore shifts between image and pure form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat distinguishes the work is not simply its minimal decoration, but the precision with which that restraint has been structured. The sun is small because its colour already carries weight. The cranes are raised only enough to become present. The surrounding field is left open because the composition depends upon distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vessel does not present emptiness as lack. It presents space as the place in which movement, companionship, and renewal become legible. The two cranes pass; the red sun remains; the rounded celadon body holds both transience and continuity within a single, sustained form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 32 cm (9.05 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight- 30cm (12.6 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52429858177255,"sku":null,"price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/KimYongSeopCeladonVesselPairedCranesinRaisedReliefwithRedSunMotif01.png?v=1785355376"},{"product_id":"celadon-vessel-yeollimun-mixed-clay-technique-2023","title":"Celadon Vessel: Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique, 2023","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis work is chosen by those who find significance in the moment when disciplined structure allows the material itself to speak.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The vessel seems less patterned than stratified, as though layers of earth had been drawn upward into form.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim Yong Seop’s \u003cstrong\u003eCeladon Vessel: Yeollimun Mixed-Clay Technique, 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e reduces the visual language of Yeollimun to its most essential elements: clay, vertical rhythm, curvature and depth of colour. In contrast to related works in which cranes or other motifs enter the composition, this vessel contains no figurative intervention. Its subject is the movement already present within the material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat decision fundamentally changes how the work is encountered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe eye is not directed towards an image placed upon the surface, but towards the surface as evidence of formation. The mixed-clay pattern appears as bands, eddies and irregular tonal passages that run beneath the glaze. Dark and light areas meet without becoming entirely uniform, creating an impression of internal circulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis quality can recall marble or veined stone, particularly in the deeper passages of blue-green and charcoal. Yet unlike stone, whose veining is geological and fixed, Yeollimun records a process shaped through human judgement. The apparent naturalness of the surface is therefore carefully constructed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tension between natural appearance and deliberate control is central to the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent clays must remain sufficiently distinct to preserve their individual colours, yet sufficiently integrated to form a stable vessel. Too much blending would diminish the clarity of the pattern; insufficient integration would compromise the unity of the clay body. Yeollimun therefore depends upon restraint: the maker must know not only how to manipulate the material, but when to stop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim introduces a second order through the carved vertical ribs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning close to the foot and extending almost continuously towards the shoulder, these narrow grooves organise the mixed-clay flow into repeated columns. Their regularity immediately contrasts with the softer, less predictable movement beneath them. The surface becomes a meeting between two temporalities: the flowing memory of manipulated clay and the later intervention of measured carving.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeither dominates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mixed-clay pattern prevents the ribs from becoming mechanical, while the ribs prevent the pattern from dissolving into pure accident. The work finds its character precisely between these two conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe silhouette reinforces this relationship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lower body rises with a comparatively straight, disciplined ascent, giving the vessel a sense of vertical stability. Higher up, the body begins to expand more fully before turning inward through the shoulder. This shift is gradual rather than abrupt. The profile moves from near-linearity into curvature, allowing the viewer to feel the form change rather than simply observe it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the strongest aspects of the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the lower body, the vertical ribs emphasise firmness and direction. As they travel upwards, the curvature of the shoulder bends their trajectory towards the small neck. What begins as parallel ascent becomes convergence. The geometry of the carving therefore changes through the geometry of the vessel itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe short flared mouth provides the final release. After the accumulated vertical pressure of the body, the neck contracts and the lip opens slightly outward. It is a small gesture, but an important one: the form gathers, narrows, and then opens again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeen from a distance, the vessel appears dark, compact and highly composed. At closer range, that composure begins to fragment into numerous small events: streaks of lighter clay, darkened folds, minute variations in the ribs and reflections travelling across the glaze.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe darkness of the palette contributes significantly to this experience. A lighter Yeollimun vessel might emphasise fluidity and openness; here, the deeper colour gives the object greater visual density. The surface appears almost mineral, as though the clay possesses an interior weight beyond its physical mass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet the glaze prevents this density from becoming heavy. Reflections move across the ribbed exterior, producing alternating bands of brilliance and shadow. Depending on the angle of viewing, the mixed-clay pattern may seem pronounced in one area and nearly disappear in another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRotation therefore becomes part of understanding the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo single frontal view fully explains the relationship between ribs, clay and curvature. As the object is turned, the vertical lines remain constant while the irregular internal pattern continuously changes. One belongs to order; the other to variation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKim Yong Seop’s 2023 vessel can therefore be understood as a study in controlled transformation. Clay is mixed without losing distinction, carved without losing movement, and shaped into a profile that moves from vertical stability towards curved closure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts quietness is deliberate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith no figurative motif to mediate the encounter, the work returns ceramic attention to something more fundamental: how earth can be persuaded into rhythm while still retaining the memory of having once been fluid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiameter- 17 cm (6.69 inch)\u003cbr\u003eHeight- 24cm (9.45 inch)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Links\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/blogs\/korean-culture\/about-celadon\" title=\"About Celadon\"\u003eAbout Celadon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pottery Master Kim Yong Seop Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/kim-yong-seop\"\u003eKim Yong Seop Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Master Artisan Collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/collections\/master-artisan\"\u003eMaster Artisan Collection\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Celadons","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52508980707559,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/0100\/1191\/files\/B432EE5C-10DF-473E-8BA8-934A7769D478.jpg?v=1787361653"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.artinko.com\/fr\/collections\/kim-yong-seop.oembed","provider":"ArtinKo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}