Moon jar
- Audio guide stop: 324
- Gallery: Room 67
- Culture: Joseon Dynasty
- Made in: Korea
- Date: 18thC
- Object type: moon jar
- Materials: porcelain
- Museum number: 1999,0302.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a "Moon jar," a remarkable example of Joseon Dynasty porcelain crafted in 18th-century Korea. This large jar, over 47 centimeters tall, takes its name from its round, full shape that evokes a shining full moon. Its smooth, pale white glaze shows subtle cracks and scratches from years of weathering, hinting at both age and delicate beauty.
Notice the horizontal seam running across the center—this jar was formed by joining two bowl-shaped halves. Because of this, each jar naturally sags or shifts slightly, creating asymmetry that reflects a Joseon aesthetic valuing spontaneity and natural grace over rigid perfection.
This moon jar was admired and collected by influential ceramic scholars like Bernard Leach. In 1935, he brought it to Korea, where he later gave it to the potter Lucie Rie—a testament to its enduring beauty.
See it in person
Moon jar is on display in Room 67 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 324, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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