In seventeenth-century Joseon, a new type of white porcelain with faceted surfaces appeared. These wheel-thrown vessels had their exteriors cut into octagonal—and occasionally hexagonal or decagonal—facets using a technique known as mokkakki. Mokkakki is a Korean term referring to the method of cutting edges at an angle. In architecture and craftwork, it denotes a technique in which the edge is made prominent while being smoothed to avoid sharpness.

Faceted ceramics were produced in both Joseon Korea and China, but the Joseon tradition distinguished itself through a unique mode of expression. Because the exterior was trimmed after the vessel was thrown, the interior surface remained smooth and un-faceted. The exterior, though angular, was not sharply edged, imparting a softened impression. As the surface of these faceted wares was divided into multiple panels, it was often adorned with different images or inscribed with lines of poetry on each panel, while at other times a single continuous design was painted across the panels.

The decoration of flowers, landscapes, figures, and poetic inscriptions suggests that those who admired faceted white porcelain shared the sensibilities of the literati.

In the eighteenth century, as ancestral rites increased among the households of scholar-officials, ritual vessels began to resemble everyday wares. To distinguish them, the ritual wares were made with heightened feet or faceted sides.

It is not certain whether it was the edges or the faceted planes between them that most captured the users’ attention, nor is it clear how these faceted white porcelains were perceived at the time. What is certain, however, is that these wares achieved a quiet elegance through faceting rather than other ornamental modes, within a social atmosphere that emphasized frugality. Their understated artistry continues to resonate across centuries, and we invite you to share in their timeless beauty.