CT로 본 고려시대 상형청자의 구조와 제작 방식 검토 = The Structure and Production Methods of Sculptural Celadon from the Goryeo Dynasty as Seen Through CT Imagery

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Sculptural celadon refers to celadonware produced in the form of a specific object ― in other words, celadonware made to resemble the shape of a particular subject, such as an animal, plant, or human figure. Unlike simple general-use vessels, sculptural celadon boasts an artistic and complex aesthetic. Representative sculptural celadon forms, such as incense burners, water droppers, and ewers, were all used in daily life. The production technique of such sculptural celadon involved methods such utilizing a potter’s wheel or forming the shape from lump of clay, then bisecting it horizontally to out the interior before reattaching the parts. However, the observation of such diverse production techniques is limited through visual examination alone. Thus, the Conservation Science Division of the National Museum of Korea utilized computed tomography (CT) technology to conduct in-depth research the production methods of sculptural celadon through scientific survey and analysis. The use of CT-based analysis in cultural heritage research is highly useful in understanding an artifact’s difficult-to-access interior structure, as it can reveal elements such as interior tool marks and seam lines between materials.
Through a CT cross-sectional analysis and a sectional 3D survey of the interior, the Celadon Melon-shaped Bottle was found to have been made using a potter’s wheel, with the neck made separately and attached after the body had been suitably dried and hardened, while the Celadon Melon-shaped Bottle with Inlaid Chrysanthemum and Peony Design was made entirely using the potter’s wheel. Upon a detailed analysis of the structural characteristics and production techniques of the Celadon Dragon-shaped Ewer, the Celadon Dragon-fish-shaped Ewer, the Celadon Pomegranate-shaped Ewer, and the Celadon Human Figure-shaped Ewer, it was found that ewers were produced using diverse techniques in order to deliberately create the detailed forms, including methods such as 1) using the potter’s wheel, 2) forming the overall shape, dividing the form into upper and lower parts, hollowing the interior, and reattaching the halves, and 3) using the potter’s wheel to create the general form before bisecting and reattaching the piece. This required outstanding technical skill and creativity from the artisans. Thus, the completed sculptural celadon can be considered not merely a bowl or vessel, but a work of art. Even among the same form of vessel, the optimal techniques, involving the diverse and appropriate methods of forming and attaching, were devised and applied. The outstanding form and artistry of Goryeo sculptural celadon was made possible on the basis of this production technology and extensive experience. In the future, further surveys and research will allow for ga reater understanding of the wisdom behind the production of sculptural celadon during the Goryeo dynasty (918~1392).