Bowl with Floral Scroll Design in Relief

1200s

Bowl with Floral Scroll Design in Relief, 1200s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Pottery; diameter of mouth: 17.1 cm (6 3/4 in.); overall: 5.4 cm (2 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance 1918.483 As early as the seventh century, the practice of drinking tea and wine became an important part of elite culture in Korea. Elites of the Goryeo period commissioned a variety of types of utensils and vessels including this elegant tea bowl not only to make their drinking experience more exciting, but also to show their appreciation of nature. The floral pattern of this bowl was created by a mold with carved patterns.