A Korean slip-decorated celadon meiping, Joseon dynasty 朝鮮王朝 青瓷象嵌花卉紋梅瓶

This meiping (maebyeong in Korean) jar is characterised by its pronounced ‘S’-curved profile created through its broad shoulders, attenuated body, constricted waist and flaring foot. Despite its literal translation meaning 'plum vase', meiping vessels were thought to be elegant storage bottles for wine, though later collectors are known to have used them as vases to manifest the host's refined taste on special occasions, such as a tea ceremony gathering.

The intricate slip-inlay process involved several steps. To achieve the black and white patterns the designs were first incised or cut into the clay after it reached a leather-hard state. The intaglio motifs were then filled in by brushing white or reddish-brown clay slips over the recessed areas and carefully shaving the surface of the ware to remove any excess slip. Although black and white were the most commonly used colours, experimental potters of the late twelfth century frequently added copper-red accents to the inlaid motifs. It is generally believed that two firings were necessary to produce inlaid celadons: an initial low-temperature biscuit firing and for the inlay process and a final high-temperature firing after the application of the glaze.

青瓷花卉梅瓶，圓肩飽滿，瓶腹柔斂，足微外撇，器形優美。瓶身象嵌技法，乃高麗瓷匠最為人驚嘆之發明。象嵌法起源未明，應受早期彩繪陶器、錯銀銅器及同時期鑲嵌漆作之啟發。雖稱梅瓶，此造型或原為酒器，後得各方藏家青睞而漸作花器之用，時而用於茶道等場合，以彰顯獨特的高尚品味。

象嵌技法細巧繁複，需於土胎微硬時，將紋飾細刻於土胎上，刷白色或紅棕色化妝土於刻劃紋飾內，並仔細刮除多餘化妝土。紋飾多見黑白二色，而十二世紀晚期，亦可見部分銅紅色調象嵌瓷。多數學者認為象嵌青瓷需二次入窰，首次素燒瓷胎及象嵌部分，通體施青釉後，再以高溫窰燒。