cma-korean-art: Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design, 1600, Cleveland Museum of Art: Korean ArtThe drag
cma-korean-art: Jar with Dragon and Clouds Design, 1600, Cleveland Museum of Art: Korean ArtThe dragon is believed to control the weather, a critical heavenly agent in premodern East Asia where the economy was based on agriculture. It is believed that the dragon endows a rightful ruler with a blessing of the appropriate amount of rain, a key for successful harvest. Thus, harsh weather conditions were often interpreted as the decline of heaven’s favor over a state. This explains why most dragon jars like this were not allowed to be used outside the royal court. It is highly likely that this jar contained a bouquet of peonies, the flower that symbolizes the state’s peace and prosperity.Size: Diameter of base: 13.7 cm (5 3/8 in.); Overall: 34.7 cm (13 11/16 in.)Medium: porcelain with underglaze ironhttps://clevelandart.org/art/1986.69 -- source link