Bottle with orchid decoration
17th-18th century
Korean ceramics are often seen as a centerpiece of Yanagi’s inspiration for the Mingei movement. For Yanagi, white ceramics made during the Joseon dynasty were particularly influential because of their simplicity. This work was once owned by Yanagi himself. He gave it to Elizabeth Bayley Willis, a champion of Mingei in Northwest America. It was then purchased by Elizabeth’s nephew, Frank Bayley III, an avid collector of Korean art, who donated it to SAM.
Stoneware with underglaze iron decoration
9 × 6 in. (22.9 × 15.2 cm)
Gift of Frank S. Bayley III
2021.26
Provenance: Collection of Yanagi Soetsu, Tokyo, Japan; to Elizabeth Bayley Willis (1901-2003), Seattle, Washington; sold to her nephew, Frank S. Bayley III, San Francisco, California; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2021
Photo: Scott Leen
