Everything to know about Korean moon jars

Produced across less than 200 years during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), moon jars represent the pinnacle of Korean ceramic arts. Characterised by their minimalist design and luminous glaze, these jars were crafted as functional objects by anonymous potters at the Bunwon kilns near Seoul.  

Though vessels of varying shapes and sizes have been called moon jars, only those of a specific form and size qualify. According to the Korean Cultural Heritage Service, moon jars are spherical, unornamented, white-glazed vessels that measure at least 40 centimetres in height and were made from the late 17th to the early 19th century of the Joseon Dynasty. It’s believed only around 20 such jars survive worldwide.  

In 2023, a superb Korean moon jar example sold at Christie’s, achieving $4.56 million. On 18 March, Christie’s is pleased to offer another outstanding moon jar in Japanese and Korean Art as part of Asian Art Week in New York. Fresh to market, this object is a dazzling representation of the venerated artform, which has become a potent symbol of Korean culture.

Moon jars have become a national symbol of Korea

The moon jar is more than just a work of ceramic art, it embodies the very essence of Korean aesthetics. A timeless piece of cultural heritage, it is admired for its craftsmanship and beauty. ‘Many Korean ceramics take cultural references from China, but the moon jar is unique to Korea,’ says Takaaki Murakami, Head of Japanese and Korean Art at Christie’s. ‘I think, for Korean people, this is something they celebrate because it sets them apart from the artistic output of neighbouring countries.’

The moon jar is so well known and beloved that it inspired artist Kim Youngse’s design for the Olympic flame cauldron at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. There are at least seven moon jars held in major Korean museums, including the National Palace Museum and the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. Four of these are designated National Treasures. Moon jars are also revered the world over and are part of the collections of the British Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The name is derived from their distinctive shape and colour

The defining feature of moon jars is their minimalist design. This absence of decoration allows the shape and colour of the jar to be the primary focus. Intended as functional objects for storage, they also embody the ideal of simple elegance sanctioned by Confucianism, the dominant ideology during the Joseon Dynasty.

Before the mid-20th century, these jars were typically called keun hangari, or ‘large jars’. The artist Kim Whanki, who reinvigorated an interest in the jars after he began collecting them in the late 1930s, is credited with renaming them dal hangari, which translates to ‘moon jars’, as they are now known.

Their round, full shape and luminescent white glaze resembles the face of the moon, an enduring symbol of harmony and balance in Korean culture. The moon jar on offer at Christie’s this March is an excellent example of the iconic wide shape and pearly glaze. ‘It’s such an impressive representation of the art of the Joseon era,’ says Murakami. ‘The glaze here is lustrous and rich. It feels alive.’

They were crafted through a complex, refined process

Due to their size, moon jars cannot be made in one piece on a potter’s wheel. Instead, they are crafted from two hemispherical halves joined at the centre. Each half is traditionally made from baekja, a white kaolin clay. Once the clay has dried, the two halves are joined using a slurry of porcelain clay mixed with water. The foot ring, mouth and lip of the jar are then shaped before it is bisque fired. This initial firing stabilises the vessel’s shape, whereupon the glaze is applied. After the glaze dries, the jar is fired once more, this time at a temperature of at least 1250 degrees Celsius. The high temperature firing gives the jar its translucent, glass-like coating.

The technical complexity and skill involved in this process only enhances the desirability of these jars, which are prized for their artistry as well as their beauty.

No two jars are the same

Each moon jar is like a fingerprint, wholly unique and distinct in both shape and colour. Throughout the firing process, jars develop slight variances — a lilt to one side, a dimple at the mid-section, a warp of the form. The white of the glaze can take on a bluish tinge during firing or pick up speckles of brown or black from clay or ash. Over time, the glaze can further transform in hue or accrue stains from liquids they’ve held.

The moon jar offered this season at Christie’s has its own unique characteristics. ‘This jar is very wide, which was typically harder to achieve because it could more easily collapse during firing,’ explains Murakami. ‘The shape here displays a special artistry that makes it all the rarer.’

These natural imperfections are viewed as essential to the beauty of the moon jar. Instead of seeking flawlessness, collectors appreciate the artisanal process that these differences reflect. Each variation is part of the jar’s story and symbolises the natural imperfection of life.

They are still a major part of the cultural lexicon

Today, the moon jar ‘continues to have a huge impact on Korean contemporary art,’ says Murakami. In addition to Kim Whanki’s longstanding appreciation of moon jars, many contemporary potters have sought to recreate these jars in their own practices. Beyond ceramics, moon jars have been referenced and reinterpreted by important artists in Korea such as Do Ho Suh and Lee Ufan as well as others around the world. They have even reached a new generation, piquing the interest of Kim Nam Joon, better known as RM from the K-pop band BTS, who also collects them.

Yet whether created centuries ago or reinterpreted in modern times, the moon jar remains a timeless piece of cultural heritage, admired for both its beauty and the craftsmanship required to create it.