The Acceptance patterns and meanings of polygonal bottle of the Qing Dynasty seen in Joseon white porcelain in the 19th century

Abstract

This polyhedron white porcelain, which suddenly appeared in the 19th century, is a new form that deviates from the tradition of making white porcelain in Joseon. This study paid attention to the emergence of polygonal bottle, which had not been independently viewed so far, and looked into the production aspects and formative characteristics along with the formative origins. Furthermore, the meaning of polygonal bottle consumed in the 19th century was examined. First, based on similar stylistically, it was revealed that the origin was a Glass-body painted enamel snuff bottle that was most likely introduced into Joseon as a gift from the Qing Dynasty during the reign of King Jeongjo. This bottle, which requires a tricky manufacturing process, is a structure that can be manufactured only when mathematical concepts, especially geometric theories, are supported. Considering that geometric-related books such as Giha Bobapyeon(幾何補編) by Mei Wen-ting (梅文鼎, 1633-1721), who studied Archimedes’ polyhedron, were passed down to Joseon and were the main targets of inquiry by scholars in the late 18th century, the possibility cannot be ruled out that Silhak(實學) scholar familiar with geometry were involved in the production of polyhedron drawings. In addition, the exotic and colorful polyhedron form known through the Qing Dynasty in the late 18th century would have been avoided from production and consumption under the philosophy of government administration of King Jeongjo, where ‘thrift and saving’ were revered. However, it is estimated that in the 19th century, the aristocrats who opposed the rise in the status of the economically powerful lower class and consumption intentionally consumed polygonal bottles, a high-end bowl, to reveal their status. In the 19th century, Joseon was rapidly changing, such as increasing interest in Western studies and relaxation of the status system, and this social atmosphere is thought to have had a significant impact on the emergence of polyhedron shapes.