Bunwon ware en

Refers to ceramic wares produced at the Bunwon, the official court kilns in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do (province), which operated from 1467 to 1884 during the Joseon Dynasty, supplying wares for the royal court. While buncheong sagi (buncheong ware) and celadon were also made there, the term mainly denotes white porcelain. Blue-and-white porcelain began to be produced in the 15th century, but iron-painted wares largely took over in the 17th century. Production of blue-and-white porcelain increased again in the 18th century, and a wide variety of vessels were manufactured from the 19th century onward. Because the Bunwon produced white wares according to predetermined specifications for use in the royal court and government offices, the term broadly refers to the official white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty. Wares produced in the first half of the Joseon Dynasty are a clear and highly translucent bright white, but mid-Joseon wares often display a grayish-white tone. Milky hues appear in the 18th century, while a bluish tint became pronounced in the 19th.