White Porcelain from East Asia: Pursuing “White” and Bringing Out its Beauty

This exhibition features white porcelain, which was originally created in China and spread to and evolved in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. White porcelain is suitable for dining because of its durability and ease of handling compared to gold, silver, or lacquered vessels, and because it absorbs little water. People have been fascinated with its pure appearance and form, and above all, white color. The color “white” actually has many variations, from warm, slightly yellow tones to highly transparent ones
with a tinge of blue, emanating tranquil beauty. These subtle differences in white are a captivating feature unique to porcelain.

The pursuit of “white” lead to the production of a new type of white porcelain that blossomed at Cizhou kiln during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). It was created with a transparent glaze on a slip of white clay over greyish-brown pottery. Later, following the introduction of white pottery, techniques for overglaze and underglaze painting were refined, which destined the history of porcelain to change significantly.

This exhibition showcases white porcelain, along with vessels with transparent glazes on white slip, produced in various parts of China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. It aims to show the processes of trying to “perfect” these white vessels in unique ways based on each nation s cultural background. The works exhibited reflect how the people from each of these countries felt about “white vessels” and how they should be conceived artistically.