This English catalog was created for the special exhibition Earth, Fire, and Soul - The Masterpieces of Korean Ceramics held at the Grand Palais of France from April 27 through June 20 of 2016 and at the State Hermitage Museum of Russia from July 29 through November 6 of 2016. The touring exhibition was designed to provide a unique opportunity to extensively explore both old and contemporary Korean porcelain art. This catalog lists many masterpieces carefully selected from the porcelain collections of the National Museum of Korea, a representative museum in Korea, including national treasures and other notable works inspired by Korean artists working in many parts of the world. I wish that this catalog may help you appreciate the artistry and unique beauty of the Korean porcelain culture, which has developed and changed over centuries on the foundation of a cultural heritage of making porcelain with earth and fire.

Foreword 5

 ESSAYS
 BRIEF HISTORY OF KOREAN CERAMICS 8
 KOREAN CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS 20

 1. ANCIENT CULTURE AND POTTERY
 VESSELS FOR DAILY LIFE 29
 GRAVE GOODS 36
 NEW BURIAL PRACTICE: CREMATION 46
 Theme 1 POTTERY FIGURINES 50
 Theme 2 SCULPTED POTTERY VESSELS 52

 2. ELEGANCE IN COLOR AND FORM: GORYEO CELADON
 COLOR OF JADE, BRILLIANCE OF CRYSTAL 58
 Theme 1 INCREASING FIRING TEMPERATURES: MOVING TOWARDS PORCELAIN 59
 FORMS FROM NATURE: FIGURATIVE CELADON VESSELS 72
 DESIGNS REPRESENTING WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS 80
 Theme 2 UNIQUE INNOVATION OF INLAID CELADON 81
 PRIZED POSSESSION OF THE ARISTOCRACY 90

 3. MODERATION AND LIBERATION: BUNCHEONG WARE
 NEW ERA, BUT FAMILIAR CERAMICS 111
 EMBODIMENT OF FREEDOM AND INNOVATION 120
 JOSEON INLAID WHITE PORCELAIN, SUCCESSOR TO GORYEO WHITE WARE 139

 4. PROPRIETY AND DIGNITY: WHITE PORCELAIN
 PROPRIETY AND DIGNITY OF THE ROYAL COURT 147
 Theme 1 MOON JAR: SYMBOL OF ABUNDANCE AND ENJOYMENT 170
 BLUE-AND-WHITE PORCELAIN: PAINTING ON WHITE PORCELAIN 173
 Theme 2 AESTHETIC APPRECIATION: STATIONERY ITEMS IN THE SARANGBANG 186
 AUSPICIOUS WISHES IN WHITE PORCELAIN 191
 Theme 3 ABSTRACT MOTIFS IN BROWN, AUSPICIOUS MOTIFS IN RED 196
 FOOD CULTURE AND DAILY LIFE IN JOSEON 200
 ROYAL CERAMICS OF THE LATE JOSEON PERIOD 204

 5. BEYOND TRADITION: CONTEMPORARY CERAMIC ART 213
 APPENDIXES
 TIMELINE 230
 KILNS IN GORYEO DYNASTY - CELADON 232
 KILNS IN JOSEON DYNASTY - BUNCHEONG WARE 233
 KILNS IN JOSEON DYNASTY - WHITE PORCELAIN 234
 OFFICIAL KILNS IN GWANGJU, GYEONGGI-DO PROVINCE 235
 LIST OF FIGURES 236