Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) / 1800s
Jar with Four Auspicious Characters in Relief
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Jar with Four Auspicious Characters in Relief as ceramic (Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) · 1800s).
This type of jar with auspicious characters was often used as a birthday or wedding gift.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as glazed porcelain.
The museum's collection notes: This white porcelain vase is decorated with four Chinese characters symbolizing auspicious (hopeful) wishes—longevity, good fortune, health, and peace—each within a floral medallion. Such jars were often presented as birthday or wedding gifts, conveying the giver’s blessings for a long and harmonious life. This object was purchased in 1981 from Kochukyo (壺中居), an antique gallery founded in 1924 in Tokyo, Japan. Many important Korean works remain in Japanese private collections, after being taken there during the Japanese colonial period (1910–45). Consequently, Japanese antique galleries continue to handle Korean antiquities, serving as signi
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtJar with Four Auspicious Characters in ReliefOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.