Celadon Double-Walled Openwork Gourd Vase: Chrysanthemum Motif

This piece is chosen by those who recognize discipline not in austerity, but in precision sustained over time.

“A quiet celadon surface opens into light, air, and shadow, held within measured form.”

Created by the Icheon master ceramicist Kim Young-soo, this double-walled openwork vase adopts the classical gourd silhouette—narrow at the neck, full at the lower body—rising to 46 centimetres in height. The proportions are deliberate: the restrained upper section tempers the generous lower volume, allowing the vessel to stand with poised equilibrium rather than monumentality.

The surface is defined by chrysanthemum motifs, executed through a rare double openwork technique. Each flower is not applied, but revealed through subtraction. The outer wall is carefully pierced to establish the floral outline; the remaining clay is then carved and refined to articulate layered petals. The chrysanthemums vary subtly in scale, a considered decision that prevents mechanical repetition and preserves the vitality of the surface.

The double-walled construction begins with two separately formed vessels: an inner body and a finely carved outer shell. The outer section is cut along a curved seam, wrapped around the inner form, and meticulously rejoined. Only then does the openwork carving proceed. At this scale, any miscalculation risks collapse during drying or firing. The technique therefore demands exact structural foresight as much as manual sensitivity.

After carving, white slip is applied to the raised petals, creating a restrained contrast against the soft jade-green celadon glaze. The glaze settles gently across the pierced surface, pooling faintly at the edges and accentuating depth. Light passes through the openings, casting subtle shadows within the interior cavity and giving the vessel a quiet sense of breath.

In Korean visual culture, the chrysanthemum symbolises longevity, integrity, and autumnal clarity. Here, multiplied across the entire body, it becomes not a single emblem but a continuous field—suggesting endurance sustained through repetition and care.

This vase does not assert itself through scale or colour. Instead, it reveals complexity through proximity. The closer one approaches, the more the surface dissolves into layers of carving, glaze, and air—an object shaped as much by removal as by addition.

Dimensions

• Height- 46 cm (18.11inch)
• Diameter- 22.5 cm (8.86 inch)