[KS] art history question

[Andrew]

Dear Maya and Soyoung,

Thanks for your responses.

I understand Maya's points on comparative methodology and do not mean to
imply any hyperdiffusion theory or direct contact between Korea and ancient
Greece. To my knowledge, Three Kingdoms and earlier earthenware do not have
the lotus or cloud/wave designs but I assume some Chinese (southern or
northern?) ceramics contemporary to the introduction of celadon to Goryeo,
must have - (or are they found on bronzes?)

I find it hard to believe the ancient Mediterranean patterning is a
coincidence; some of the items have the 'lotus petals' around the base and
neck, and geometric cloud/wave just below the neck, very similar to the
convention on medieval maebyeong. What I hope art historians might have
common knowledge of is whether this design is found in India or the Middle
East and which direction it might have traveled.

Is there concrete evidence that the lotus petals have always been lotus
petals, or could it have been a reinterpretation of an existing
conventional design? The same pattern could take on new interpretations
according to local culture (as e.g. the reinterpretation of Buddhist
symbols by Confucian literati {or were they still culturally Buddhist?})

Separately, in Thailand I've seen very high quality celadons, with iron-ore
painted fish designs similar to the fish on *buncheong-sagi*. I always
wonder about the fish on early Joseon *buncheong* because they are absent
from the preceding Goryeo celadon.

sincerely
Andrew
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