Christie’s and Seoul Auction will put up prominent Korean works for auction, unveiling them to the public during the preview session in February at the auctioneers’ spaces in Seoul.
The British auctioneer will present a white porcelain moon jar from the 18th century Joseon era, owned by a Japanese collector. The porcelain is expected to sell for between $1 million to $2 million. A moon jar is known as the representative type of porcelain from the Joseon era, made from two separate pieces joined at the belly of the jar and painted in a lustrous and translucent glaze.
Another pottery piece on the block is a celadon ware believed to be from the 12th or 13th century during the Goryeo Kingdom, which was used as a ritual water vessel. Covered with a rich glaze, the body is incised with two pairs of birds. The estimated price for the celadon ranges from $80,000 to $120,000, according to Christie's.
The auction will take place on March 21 in New York. The preview, which opened Wednesday, runs through Friday at Christie’s Korea in central Seoul, offering a chance to see the works in person.
Seoul Auction, South Korea’s leading auctioneer, will offer a total of 144 works worth 10.6 billion won ($8.26 million) on Feb. 28, including a work by Korea’s prominent painter Cheon Kyeong-ja. One of the artist's earlier paintings, “Stillness,” from 1955, which led Cheon to become an established artist in the country, will be presented at the auction.
The preview session will continue through Feb. 28 at Seoul Auction in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, until the auction kicks off at 4 p.m. the same day.
Paintings by the prominent Joseon-era artist Jeong Seon will be up for auction at both events. Christie’s will present a four-panel screen painted by the artist, titled “Eight Scenic Views of the Diamond Mountains,” which is estimated to go for $200,000. Seoul Auction will offer the painting “Pine Tree and Mushrooms,” also by Jeong.
By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)
