Plaque with Inlaid Peony and Chrysanthemum Design

1200s

Plaque with Inlaid Peony and Chrysanthemum Design, 1200s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Celadon with inlaid decoration; overall: 19.1 x 25.4 x 0.3 cm (7 1/2 x 10 x 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance 1918.490 Celadons, spoons, seals, and bronze mirrors were the most common burial objects in tombs during the Goryeo period (918-1392). Furnishing tombs with an elaborate assemblage of objects was believed to honor and comfort the newly dead. This type of celadon tile, elegantly adorned with the image of flowers such as bloomed peonies and chrysanthemums, was used to embellish the interior of buildings. Celadon tiles such as this one were mainly produced in state kilns located in Kangjin and Buan, Jeolla province.