PUNCH'ONG POTTERY

Japanese Mishima, decorated celadon, or glazed ceramic, produced in Korea during the early Choson (Yi) period (15th and 16th centuries). Punch'ong ware evolved from the celadon ware of the Koryo style; combined with the celadon glaze is the innovative Yi surface decoration, which includes inlaying, stamping, incising, sgraffito, and the application of a white slip (liquid clay) beneath the final coating of transparent glaze. At the beginning of the 15th century the inlay technique of Koryo celadon, in which the pattern was incised freehand, was taken over by Yi potters; but they soon began to use stamps to produce in a matter of minutes an overall tiny floral pattern. Sometimes they also used sgraffito decoration in which patterns were incised through a grayish white slip. The potters of the 16th century abandoned designs altogether and simply coated the vessel with a white slip either entirely or partially.