Nationalmuseumofkoreavol34 en

quarterly magazine

ISSN: 2005-1123

VOL .34 W INTER 2016

In 2016, the National Museum of Korea marked the 40th anniversary since it took its first steps toward conservation science.

To celebrate the landmark achievement, a special exhibition on conservation science will be held for the first time in Korea under the title Conservation Science, Saving the Cultural Properties. This exhibition was designed to shed light on everything the NMK has done over the last 40 years for the purpose of conservation science. It was also set up to examine the museum’s activities related to the conservation of cultural properties using modern science.

Roughly 50 artifacts have been selected from among the NMK’s cultural properties for the exhibition. This includes metal, ceramics & earthenware, paintings, and woodcraft artifacts which have been newly restored by the NMK’s Conservation Science Division. The exhibition will also feature conservation science research results such as the production process of Korea’s cultural properties and detailed information about their materials.

Through Conservation Science, Saving the Cultural Properties, visitors can see how the NMK became a leader in the conservation of cultural properties and of conservation science in general throughout Korea. Furthermore, people are able to look at related artifacts and information on conservation science as a whole. Examples of this conservation work include materials and production methods connected to Korean cultural properties as well as information about how the actual work is done.

• curator’s talk Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” • feature exhibition Rubens and Other Masters • rnm

exhibition 1 The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties • rnm

exhibition 2 A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea • rnm

exhibition 3 Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi

published by the nmk winter 2016

march 8 – may 8, 2016 special exhibition gallery

• special essay The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty

VOL.34

SAVING THE CULTURAL PROPERTIES

N AT I O N A L M U S E U M O F KO R E A | Q UA R T E R LY M AG A Z I N E

CONSERVATION SCIENCE,

National Museum of Korea

National Museum of Korea

winter 2016

D I R E C T O R’ S M E S S AG E

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our relocation to Yongsan last year, the National Museum of Korea worked hard for the external and qualitative growth of the museum. As part of this effort, the NMK held a variety of thought-provoking exhibitions such as The Story of Bohemian Glass, Polish Art: An Enduring Spirit and Masterpieces of Early Buddhist Sculpture, 100BCE–700CE. Since our move to Yongsan, the total number of visitors has surpassed 30 million people. While 2015 was a year in which the NMK paid homage to the previous 10 years of achievements, the museum will use 2016 to prepare for the coming decade so it can forge ahead as a world-class museum.

The feature article of the 2016 winter issue focuses on the exhibition Rubens and Other Masters. This exhibition is particularly significant in that LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, which is known as one of Europe’s leading royal museums, is now on display for the first time in Korea. Over 120 selected works from the collection are on display, including paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties, was held at the Jeonju National Museum between October 27 and December 20, 2015 and shed light on the history and culture of the Wuyue Kingdom, which had close diplomatic relations with Later Baekje. This exhibition was prepared through continuous exchanges between the Jeonju National Museum and China’s Suzhou Museum. In addition, a cultural exchange exhibition called Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi with China’s Luoyang Museum was held at the Buyeo National Museum between November 24, 2015 and January 24, 2016 and A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea was held at the Daegu National Museum from September 22 to December 13, 2015. These exhibitions have all introduced visitors to the history and culture of each related region.

KOREAN HERITAGE

FROM THE GALLERY

THE LATEST

special essay The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty 02

feature exhibition Rubens and Other Masters 14

behind the exhibit Conservation of Paintings and Calligraphy 32

curator’s talk Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” 08 zoom in Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who Observes the Sound of Suffering 12

visitor Encountering Masters of Flemish Art 20 rnm exhibition 1 The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties 22 rnm exhibition 2 A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea 26

education Outdoor Tour Program: Walking in the Autumn Night 34 news Exhibition / Miscellaneous 36 new & hidden space The Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room 40

rnm exhibition 3 Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi 29

The NMK deals with a unique sense of aesthetic moderation in its “Korean Heritage” section, which provides an introduction to the beauty of Korean traditional culture. Many pieces of art from the Joseon Dynasty clearly demonstrate how classical scholars achieved an elegance all their own based on Confucianism. Simple moon jars that are snow white in color and Kim Jeonghui’s Sehando, with its stunning aesthetic quality, are wellknown artifacts that contain a profound beauty through their moderation and emptiness.

Furthermore, we put together a number of articles about the museum, including information related to reopened Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room.

Today, visitors to the NMK greatly appreciate the cultural exchanges we have carried out with notable overseas museums. In 2016, we will continue to collaborate with museums from around the world and raise our own status as an internationally renowned museum.

Kim Youngna Director General The National Museums of Korea Winter 2016

Cover of the Current Issue Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, early 18th century H. 41.0 cm, D. 20.0 cm (mouth), 16.0 cm (bottom) Treasure No. 1437 jub 702

Publisher National Museum of Korea 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04383, Korea Tel: (82 2) 2077–9573 Fax: (82 2) 2077–9258 E-mail: polagu47@korea.kr

Design and Production Ahn Graphics Inc., Editorial Team

National Museum of Korea, a quarterly magazine, abides by the principles set forth by the Korean Committee for Ethics in Book and Magazine Publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Translation / Revision Richard H. Harris / Cho Yoonjung / Kim Hyunkyung Lee Mijin / Hwang Chiyoung

Printed in Korea Copyright © 2016 National Museum of Korea.

All rights reserved. ISSN: 2005–1123

Editorial Direction Design Team of the NMK

Note to Readers The related information of image is given in the following order: title, period or produced year, material, dimensions and management number. Exceptionally items from all other institutions are classified by their collection names.

National Museum of Korea

winter 2016

D I R E C T O R’ S M E S S AG E

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our relocation to Yongsan last year, the National Museum of Korea worked hard for the external and qualitative growth of the museum. As part of this effort, the NMK held a variety of thought-provoking exhibitions such as The Story of Bohemian Glass, Polish Art: An Enduring Spirit and Masterpieces of Early Buddhist Sculpture, 100BCE–700CE. Since our move to Yongsan, the total number of visitors has surpassed 30 million people. While 2015 was a year in which the NMK paid homage to the previous 10 years of achievements, the museum will use 2016 to prepare for the coming decade so it can forge ahead as a world-class museum.

The feature article of the 2016 winter issue focuses on the exhibition Rubens and Other Masters. This exhibition is particularly significant in that LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, which is known as one of Europe’s leading royal museums, is now on display for the first time in Korea. Over 120 selected works from the collection are on display, including paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties, was held at the Jeonju National Museum between October 27 and December 20, 2015 and shed light on the history and culture of the Wuyue Kingdom, which had close diplomatic relations with Later Baekje. This exhibition was prepared through continuous exchanges between the Jeonju National Museum and China’s Suzhou Museum. In addition, a cultural exchange exhibition called Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi with China’s Luoyang Museum was held at the Buyeo National Museum between November 24, 2015 and January 24, 2016 and A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea was held at the Daegu National Museum from September 22 to December 13, 2015. These exhibitions have all introduced visitors to the history and culture of each related region.

KOREAN HERITAGE

FROM THE GALLERY

THE LATEST

special essay The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty 02

feature exhibition Rubens and Other Masters 14

behind the exhibit Conservation of Paintings and Calligraphy 32

curator’s talk Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” 08 zoom in Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who Observes the Sound of Suffering 12

visitor Encountering Masters of Flemish Art 20 rnm exhibition 1 The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties 22 rnm exhibition 2 A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea 26

education Outdoor Tour Program: Walking in the Autumn Night 34 news Exhibition / Miscellaneous 36 new & hidden space The Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room 40

rnm exhibition 3 Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi 29

The NMK deals with a unique sense of aesthetic moderation in its “Korean Heritage” section, which provides an introduction to the beauty of Korean traditional culture. Many pieces of art from the Joseon Dynasty clearly demonstrate how classical scholars achieved an elegance all their own based on Confucianism. Simple moon jars that are snow white in color and Kim Jeonghui’s Sehando, with its stunning aesthetic quality, are wellknown artifacts that contain a profound beauty through their moderation and emptiness.

Furthermore, we put together a number of articles about the museum, including information related to reopened Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room.

Today, visitors to the NMK greatly appreciate the cultural exchanges we have carried out with notable overseas museums. In 2016, we will continue to collaborate with museums from around the world and raise our own status as an internationally renowned museum.

Kim Youngna Director General The National Museums of Korea Winter 2016

Cover of the Current Issue Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, early 18th century H. 41.0 cm, D. 20.0 cm (mouth), 16.0 cm (bottom) Treasure No. 1437 jub 702

Publisher National Museum of Korea 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04383, Korea Tel: (82 2) 2077–9573 Fax: (82 2) 2077–9258 E-mail: polagu47@korea.kr

Design and Production Ahn Graphics Inc., Editorial Team

National Museum of Korea, a quarterly magazine, abides by the principles set forth by the Korean Committee for Ethics in Book and Magazine Publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Translation / Revision Richard H. Harris / Cho Yoonjung / Kim Hyunkyung Lee Mijin / Hwang Chiyoung

Printed in Korea Copyright © 2016 National Museum of Korea.

All rights reserved. ISSN: 2005–1123

Editorial Direction Design Team of the NMK

Note to Readers The related information of image is given in the following order: title, period or produced year, material, dimensions and management number. Exceptionally items from all other institutions are classified by their collection names.

02

special essay

The theme of this issue’s Korean Heritage section is the Joseon Dynasty’s well-known aesthetic moderation. Moon jars show different white colors in different works, and all with a mysterious sense of form. They fully reveal classical scholars’ elegance and moderation based on Confucianism.

The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty kim hyunjung, associate curator of the fine arts division

T

he Joseon Dynasty was a time when the dignity of the royal court and the lofty character of the scholar, all based on the principles of Confucianism, were fully expressed in art. A literati air and grace is indeed seen as the defining aesthetic characteristic of Joseon white porcelain. This of course applies to the white porcelain works produced in the King Yeongjo r.1724–1776 and King Jeongjo r. 1776–1800 era of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this period of history, Joseon suffered both the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598 and the Manchu invasions of 1636– 1637 but managed to rise above the devastation to achieve political, social, and economic stability and prosperity. Culturally, this period was the second golden age of Joseon.

Various kinds of white porcelain were produced at the official government kilns: pure white porcelain, and white porcelain with designs painted in underglaze cobalt blue, iron brown, or copper red pigments. In the late Joseon Dynasty, the so-called “moon jar” was produced (Fig. 1). These pure white, large porcelain jars known as moon jars were popular from the latter half of the 17th century to the mid-18th century. They were so-named because of their shapebig, full and round like the moon. They are considered the acme of Joseon white porcelain for their restraint and simplicity, which

comes from the pure white color and elegantly round form. Such qualities are unique to the moon jar and cannot be found in the ceramics of China and Japan.

WHITE PORCELAIN AS MANIFESTATION OF JOSEON IDEALS AND WORLDVIEW Joseon was a Confucian nation that placed great importance on the concept of li, or “ritual propriety.” In the Confucian cultural tradition, ritual propriety refers to the norms of social order and behavior that form the basis of human ethics as well as the composition and procedure of Confucian rites. According to The Analects of Confucius, the master, citing ritual propriety was the practice of benevolence, said “to subdue oneself and return to propriety is perfect virtue.” To put ritual propriety into practice, the Confucian scholars of Joseon considered restraint to be the most important factor in overcoming self-interest. Restraint is the ability to control and adjust one’s desires or emotions so that they are never excessive. The scholars also considered inner purity to be important and hence strove to live modest lives in harmony with nature. Modesty in this sense refers to a simple human nature without greed. The virtues of restraint, purity, modesty and living in harmony with nature were

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Fig. 1 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, early 18th century H. 41.0 cm, D. 20.0 cm (mouth), 16.0 cm (bottom) Treasure No. 1437 jub 702

03

02

special essay

The theme of this issue’s Korean Heritage section is the Joseon Dynasty’s well-known aesthetic moderation. Moon jars show different white colors in different works, and all with a mysterious sense of form. They fully reveal classical scholars’ elegance and moderation based on Confucianism.

The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty kim hyunjung, associate curator of the fine arts division

T

he Joseon Dynasty was a time when the dignity of the royal court and the lofty character of the scholar, all based on the principles of Confucianism, were fully expressed in art. A literati air and grace is indeed seen as the defining aesthetic characteristic of Joseon white porcelain. This of course applies to the white porcelain works produced in the King Yeongjo r.1724–1776 and King Jeongjo r. 1776–1800 era of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this period of history, Joseon suffered both the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598 and the Manchu invasions of 1636– 1637 but managed to rise above the devastation to achieve political, social, and economic stability and prosperity. Culturally, this period was the second golden age of Joseon.

Various kinds of white porcelain were produced at the official government kilns: pure white porcelain, and white porcelain with designs painted in underglaze cobalt blue, iron brown, or copper red pigments. In the late Joseon Dynasty, the so-called “moon jar” was produced (Fig. 1). These pure white, large porcelain jars known as moon jars were popular from the latter half of the 17th century to the mid-18th century. They were so-named because of their shapebig, full and round like the moon. They are considered the acme of Joseon white porcelain for their restraint and simplicity, which

comes from the pure white color and elegantly round form. Such qualities are unique to the moon jar and cannot be found in the ceramics of China and Japan.

WHITE PORCELAIN AS MANIFESTATION OF JOSEON IDEALS AND WORLDVIEW Joseon was a Confucian nation that placed great importance on the concept of li, or “ritual propriety.” In the Confucian cultural tradition, ritual propriety refers to the norms of social order and behavior that form the basis of human ethics as well as the composition and procedure of Confucian rites. According to The Analects of Confucius, the master, citing ritual propriety was the practice of benevolence, said “to subdue oneself and return to propriety is perfect virtue.” To put ritual propriety into practice, the Confucian scholars of Joseon considered restraint to be the most important factor in overcoming self-interest. Restraint is the ability to control and adjust one’s desires or emotions so that they are never excessive. The scholars also considered inner purity to be important and hence strove to live modest lives in harmony with nature. Modesty in this sense refers to a simple human nature without greed. The virtues of restraint, purity, modesty and living in harmony with nature were

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Fig. 1 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, early 18th century H. 41.0 cm, D. 20.0 cm (mouth), 16.0 cm (bottom) Treasure No. 1437 jub 702

03

04

special essay

reflected in Joseon white porcelain.

White porcelain is a technically more sophisticated form of ceramics than Goryeo celadon. First, the vessel is made with pure white refined clay containing no iron, then fired in a kiln over 1250° Celsius, which is higher than the temperature for celadon. To take the temperature of the kiln to such a high level, a lot of firewood is needed. White porcelain was chosen as the royal ceramic for the court in the early years of the Joseon Dynasty. The state-run kilns (gwanyo) were located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, where there was plenty of white clay and firewood, and hence was well suited to the production of white porcelain. Since the source of firewood eventually ran out, however, the official kilns were moved once every ten years or so within the Gwangju area. In 1752, the 28th year of the reign of King Yeongjo, a permanent kiln was established in Bunwonri, Gwangju, to ensure stable white porcelain production.

The setback in white porcelain production suffered after the Jap-

Fig. 2 Blue-and-white Porcelain Jar with Orchid Design Joseon, 18th century H. 26.4 cm Donated by Lee Hong-kun, 1981 don 353

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

anese and Manchu invasions was a serious matter for a Confucian nation such as Joseon which placed great importance on national rites. Pure white porcelain took on a grayish tone, and when the import of cobalt pigment was blocked iron pigment was used instead. When stability was regained in the King Sukjong era, r. 1674– 1720 the gray-toned porcelain became white again. In the first half of the 18th century, some high quality, pure white moon jars were made at the kiln in Geumsa-ri, Gwangju. With the production of vessels satisfying the tastes of the scholars as well as the royal family, the art of white porcelain reached new heights. Blue-and-white porcelains were decorated with motifs symbolizing the virtues and dignity of the scholars such as the four gracious plants—orchids, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, and bamboo (Fig. 2)—as well as Koreanized versions of popular Chinese painting, Autumn Moon Over Lake Dongting 洞庭秋月 (Fig. 3) and Zhang Han Leaving for the East River.張翰歸江東

Fig. 3 Blue-and-white Porcelain Jar with Landscape, Plum, Bird and Bamboo Design Joseon, 18th century H. 38.1 cm Donated by Park Byoung-rae, 1975 soo 285

THE PURE WHITE WARMTH OF MOON JARS As the name indicates, the distinctive feature of white porcelain is its color. Whether plain white with no ornamentation or decorated with designs painted in underglaze cobalt blue or iron brown, the mood of the vessel is defined by the tone of the white surface. The whites found on Joseon white porcelain are so varied that it seems no vessels are the same color. Some of the most common tones are milky white, snowy white, grayish white and bluish white.

The white found on moon jars is neither the pure white of the early Joseon period, nor the grayish white of the mid-Joseon period, nor the bluish white of wares from the Bunwon kilns. Though the dominant tone is milky white, not all moon jars are this color.

Moreover, not every moon jar exhibits the same white tone all over (Fig. 4). Some parts may not be properly fired, and other parts may have a yellowish tinge from oxidization. In the case of some jars, the liquid that it once contained has smeared the outside surface

Fig. 4 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 44.0 cm, D. 21.5 cm (mouth), 42.0 cm (body), 16.5 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 309 Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art

05

(Fig. 5). But that discolored part harmonizes with the overall whiteness of the jar. Even in the one moon jar a variegated collection of white tones can be found. Not all whites are the same. This is probably why a vessel made of cold porcelain can exude such a sense of warmth.

The moon jar is unique, for nowhere else in the world can there be found such large jars over 40 cm high that are plain white with no decoration whatsoever. The white surface is like an empty space and inspires the urge to fill it with something. But all ornamentation is removed and the surface of the moon jar is clothed only in white. This is impossible without controlling the urge to fill the emptiness.

The subtle, dignified whiteness of the surface arouses different thoughts and feelings in different people. Hence the moon jar represents the unique aesthetic of the Joseon people, its beauty coming from the empty white space void of greed.

Fig. 5 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 49.0 cm, D. 20.1 cm (mouth), 15.7 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 262 Woohak Culture Foundation

04

special essay

reflected in Joseon white porcelain.

White porcelain is a technically more sophisticated form of ceramics than Goryeo celadon. First, the vessel is made with pure white refined clay containing no iron, then fired in a kiln over 1250° Celsius, which is higher than the temperature for celadon. To take the temperature of the kiln to such a high level, a lot of firewood is needed. White porcelain was chosen as the royal ceramic for the court in the early years of the Joseon Dynasty. The state-run kilns (gwanyo) were located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do, where there was plenty of white clay and firewood, and hence was well suited to the production of white porcelain. Since the source of firewood eventually ran out, however, the official kilns were moved once every ten years or so within the Gwangju area. In 1752, the 28th year of the reign of King Yeongjo, a permanent kiln was established in Bunwonri, Gwangju, to ensure stable white porcelain production.

The setback in white porcelain production suffered after the Jap-

Fig. 2 Blue-and-white Porcelain Jar with Orchid Design Joseon, 18th century H. 26.4 cm Donated by Lee Hong-kun, 1981 don 353

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

anese and Manchu invasions was a serious matter for a Confucian nation such as Joseon which placed great importance on national rites. Pure white porcelain took on a grayish tone, and when the import of cobalt pigment was blocked iron pigment was used instead. When stability was regained in the King Sukjong era, r. 1674– 1720 the gray-toned porcelain became white again. In the first half of the 18th century, some high quality, pure white moon jars were made at the kiln in Geumsa-ri, Gwangju. With the production of vessels satisfying the tastes of the scholars as well as the royal family, the art of white porcelain reached new heights. Blue-and-white porcelains were decorated with motifs symbolizing the virtues and dignity of the scholars such as the four gracious plants—orchids, plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, and bamboo (Fig. 2)—as well as Koreanized versions of popular Chinese painting, Autumn Moon Over Lake Dongting 洞庭秋月 (Fig. 3) and Zhang Han Leaving for the East River.張翰歸江東

Fig. 3 Blue-and-white Porcelain Jar with Landscape, Plum, Bird and Bamboo Design Joseon, 18th century H. 38.1 cm Donated by Park Byoung-rae, 1975 soo 285

THE PURE WHITE WARMTH OF MOON JARS As the name indicates, the distinctive feature of white porcelain is its color. Whether plain white with no ornamentation or decorated with designs painted in underglaze cobalt blue or iron brown, the mood of the vessel is defined by the tone of the white surface. The whites found on Joseon white porcelain are so varied that it seems no vessels are the same color. Some of the most common tones are milky white, snowy white, grayish white and bluish white.

The white found on moon jars is neither the pure white of the early Joseon period, nor the grayish white of the mid-Joseon period, nor the bluish white of wares from the Bunwon kilns. Though the dominant tone is milky white, not all moon jars are this color.

Moreover, not every moon jar exhibits the same white tone all over (Fig. 4). Some parts may not be properly fired, and other parts may have a yellowish tinge from oxidization. In the case of some jars, the liquid that it once contained has smeared the outside surface

Fig. 4 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 44.0 cm, D. 21.5 cm (mouth), 42.0 cm (body), 16.5 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 309 Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art

05

(Fig. 5). But that discolored part harmonizes with the overall whiteness of the jar. Even in the one moon jar a variegated collection of white tones can be found. Not all whites are the same. This is probably why a vessel made of cold porcelain can exude such a sense of warmth.

The moon jar is unique, for nowhere else in the world can there be found such large jars over 40 cm high that are plain white with no decoration whatsoever. The white surface is like an empty space and inspires the urge to fill it with something. But all ornamentation is removed and the surface of the moon jar is clothed only in white. This is impossible without controlling the urge to fill the emptiness.

The subtle, dignified whiteness of the surface arouses different thoughts and feelings in different people. Hence the moon jar represents the unique aesthetic of the Joseon people, its beauty coming from the empty white space void of greed.

Fig. 5 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 49.0 cm, D. 20.1 cm (mouth), 15.7 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 262 Woohak Culture Foundation

06

special essay

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

The moon jar represents the unique aesthetic of the Joseon people, its beauty coming from the empty white space void of greed.

07

The photographer Koo Bohnchang said he sought to express in photography the vagueness of white porcelain (Fig. 9). He took the pictures at the moment he felt the moon jar was showing its true colors. That moment, he said, was when the moon jar appeared to be most indistinct. Through his work, Koo forged out of the moon jar a new quality and spirit.

The moon shines down on all people. The moon is one and the same, but everyone looks at their own different moons. In the same way, the enigmatic moon jar makes everyone who sees it discover a different kind of beauty in it. The deep white forged out of restraint and simplicity—the moon jar represents the height of the special kind of beauty prized in the Joseon Dynasty. At the same time, the moon jar is a door to a new world of inspiration and creativity joining past, present and future.

Fig. 7 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 17–18th century H 43.8 cm, D. 21.4 cm (mouth), 44.0 cm (body), 16.6 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 310 National Palace Museum of Korea

Fig. 6 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 46.0 cm, D. 20.3 cm (mouth), 15.0 cm (bottom) ssu 3658 Fig. 8 Jar and Plum Blossoms

By Kim Whanki 1954 45.5 × 53.0 cm Oil on canvas ©Whanki Foundation·Whanki Museum

GENEROUS FORM AND SIMPLE LINES The profundity of the moon jar is borne out by the generous form and simple lines. As the height of the jar and the diameter at its widest point are roughly equal, the body has the roundness of the full moon. Most moon jars are more than 40 cm high. The short neck, slanted outwards, began to change in the mid-18th century to an upright neck (Fig. 6). As it was very difficult to shape a large vessel on the wheel, from its foot to the body, shoulders and mouth, all in one go, the top and bottom parts were made separately and later joined together.

The technique of joining two parts together was introduced from China in the early Ming Dynasty.1368–1644 It was a very practical way of making large jars. But in the Chinese examples, the line where the two parts join is smoothed down and hard to see.

In the Joseon moon jars, however, the join often came apart or twisted in the firing process making it difficult to produce a perfectly round shape.

Not all round shapes are the same. A moon jar that is not quite

perfectly round has the symmetry of asymmetry and looks different from differing angles (Fig. 7). Such imperfection imbues the calm and quiet jar with a subtle sense of movement and change.

The moon jar has a natural roundness and fullness as if it is the real moon. The irregular form of the moon jar, expressed in simple lines, is certainly a shape found only in Joseon wares. It is the height of formative beauty.

LIKE THE MOON THAT SHINES ON ALL The moon jar of such wondrous shape has inspired many artists and writers, giving them the urge to create. The early modern Korean artist Kim Whanki painted many pictures featuring the moon jar motif (Fig. 8). In a collection of paintings titled Baekjasong (Ode to White Porcelain), Kim Whanki said that all the lines in his paintings echo the lines of white porcelain. In other words, he said that whether the paintings be of a woman, a mountain, the moon, or a bird, they were all inspired by ceramics. The artist had discovered his lines in the lines of the moon jar.

Fig. 9 Untitled

By Koo Bohnchang 2011 190.0 × 151.0 cm

06

special essay

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

The moon jar represents the unique aesthetic of the Joseon people, its beauty coming from the empty white space void of greed.

07

The photographer Koo Bohnchang said he sought to express in photography the vagueness of white porcelain (Fig. 9). He took the pictures at the moment he felt the moon jar was showing its true colors. That moment, he said, was when the moon jar appeared to be most indistinct. Through his work, Koo forged out of the moon jar a new quality and spirit.

The moon shines down on all people. The moon is one and the same, but everyone looks at their own different moons. In the same way, the enigmatic moon jar makes everyone who sees it discover a different kind of beauty in it. The deep white forged out of restraint and simplicity—the moon jar represents the height of the special kind of beauty prized in the Joseon Dynasty. At the same time, the moon jar is a door to a new world of inspiration and creativity joining past, present and future.

Fig. 7 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 17–18th century H 43.8 cm, D. 21.4 cm (mouth), 44.0 cm (body), 16.6 cm (bottom) National Treasure No. 310 National Palace Museum of Korea

Fig. 6 Large White Porcelain Jar (moon jar) Joseon, 18th century H. 46.0 cm, D. 20.3 cm (mouth), 15.0 cm (bottom) ssu 3658 Fig. 8 Jar and Plum Blossoms

By Kim Whanki 1954 45.5 × 53.0 cm Oil on canvas ©Whanki Foundation·Whanki Museum

GENEROUS FORM AND SIMPLE LINES The profundity of the moon jar is borne out by the generous form and simple lines. As the height of the jar and the diameter at its widest point are roughly equal, the body has the roundness of the full moon. Most moon jars are more than 40 cm high. The short neck, slanted outwards, began to change in the mid-18th century to an upright neck (Fig. 6). As it was very difficult to shape a large vessel on the wheel, from its foot to the body, shoulders and mouth, all in one go, the top and bottom parts were made separately and later joined together.

The technique of joining two parts together was introduced from China in the early Ming Dynasty.1368–1644 It was a very practical way of making large jars. But in the Chinese examples, the line where the two parts join is smoothed down and hard to see.

In the Joseon moon jars, however, the join often came apart or twisted in the firing process making it difficult to produce a perfectly round shape.

Not all round shapes are the same. A moon jar that is not quite

perfectly round has the symmetry of asymmetry and looks different from differing angles (Fig. 7). Such imperfection imbues the calm and quiet jar with a subtle sense of movement and change.

The moon jar has a natural roundness and fullness as if it is the real moon. The irregular form of the moon jar, expressed in simple lines, is certainly a shape found only in Joseon wares. It is the height of formative beauty.

LIKE THE MOON THAT SHINES ON ALL The moon jar of such wondrous shape has inspired many artists and writers, giving them the urge to create. The early modern Korean artist Kim Whanki painted many pictures featuring the moon jar motif (Fig. 8). In a collection of paintings titled Baekjasong (Ode to White Porcelain), Kim Whanki said that all the lines in his paintings echo the lines of white porcelain. In other words, he said that whether the paintings be of a woman, a mountain, the moon, or a bird, they were all inspired by ceramics. The artist had discovered his lines in the lines of the moon jar.

Fig. 9 Untitled

By Koo Bohnchang 2011 190.0 × 151.0 cm

08

curator ’ s talk

Kim Jeonghui’s Sehando shows more profound beauty through its moderation and emptiness. With this column that systematically analyzes the structure and inherent ratios in the painting, readers can appreciate Sehando from a new point of view.

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Neatly seated, an old man picks up a brush.

A lonely atmosphere lingers

Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” by lee soomi, head of the fine arts division

at the quiet place.

Slowly emerging brushstrokes reveal the images of his heart.

09

K

im Jeonghui 金正喜, 1786–1856 completed Sehando (Wintry Days) at the age of 58. This was five years after he had been exiled to Jejudo Island. Life on Jejudo must surely have been a series of hardships for Kim, who had once enjoyed the highest level of culture.

In such a hopeless situation, Kim Jeonghui painted Sehando for Yi Sangjeok,李尙迪, 1804–1865 the person who had consistently trusted him. Yi Sangjeok was a well-known interpreter who had been to China 12 times. Yi delivered information from the Chinese academia to Kim. He retrieved books for Kim Jeonghui as per his requests, especially from 1843 to 1844. This provided Kim an opportunity to paint Sehando. In fact, Kim left a long message about how he came to create the work on the left side of the painting. He praised Yi’s faithfulness by quoting Confucious’s words, “It is only in the coldest winter that one understands that pine trees are the last to wither.”

08

curator ’ s talk

Kim Jeonghui’s Sehando shows more profound beauty through its moderation and emptiness. With this column that systematically analyzes the structure and inherent ratios in the painting, readers can appreciate Sehando from a new point of view.

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Neatly seated, an old man picks up a brush.

A lonely atmosphere lingers

Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” by lee soomi, head of the fine arts division

at the quiet place.

Slowly emerging brushstrokes reveal the images of his heart.

09

K

im Jeonghui 金正喜, 1786–1856 completed Sehando (Wintry Days) at the age of 58. This was five years after he had been exiled to Jejudo Island. Life on Jejudo must surely have been a series of hardships for Kim, who had once enjoyed the highest level of culture.

In such a hopeless situation, Kim Jeonghui painted Sehando for Yi Sangjeok,李尙迪, 1804–1865 the person who had consistently trusted him. Yi Sangjeok was a well-known interpreter who had been to China 12 times. Yi delivered information from the Chinese academia to Kim. He retrieved books for Kim Jeonghui as per his requests, especially from 1843 to 1844. This provided Kim an opportunity to paint Sehando. In fact, Kim left a long message about how he came to create the work on the left side of the painting. He praised Yi’s faithfulness by quoting Confucious’s words, “It is only in the coldest winter that one understands that pine trees are the last to wither.”

10

curator ’ s talk

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Sehando consists of three pieces of paper connected with one another (Fig. 1). The first jointed piece of paper (a) is located along the central Chinese character han,寒 or coldness, in the title (Fig. 2).

The second jointed part (b) is vertically connected with the far left nut pine tree. The first piece, paper A is 8.3 cm wide, paper B is 45.6 cm wide, and the last, paper C, is 16.6 cm wide. We can see that the two pieces of paper were added to the main part, paper B. What is interesting is that the ratio of A and C is 1 to 2. Important formative elements of Sehando are mostly in paper B. Paper C completes Sehando and creates a lingering impression.

Furthermore, this part keeps a distance from the colophon so that two different atmospheres harmoniously coexist. If we measure the width of C starting from the begining of the painting, it reaches C' in the part where the title and the painter’s name are located. C and C' begin and end Sehando on each side, respectively.

Where is the center of Sehando? It is the point that is 35 cm away

Fig. 1 Sehando

By Kim Jeonghui Joseon, 1844 23.7 × 70.5 cm National Treasure No. 180 Sohn Chang Kun Collection

Fig. 2 Writer’s interpretation of Fig. 1

from each end (c), which is the straight pine tree at the center. This pine tree is interpreted as the symbol of Yi Sangjeok. Kim Jeonghui metaphorically represented Yi’s presence by painting a straight pine tree at the center of the painting. If the pine tree at the center is Yi Sangjeok, an old pine tree beside it can be seen as Kim Jeonghui himself. The large old pine tree with the thick trunk has straight upward branches which are thin, but there are fan-shaped pine needles at the end of the horizontal branch. The round scales of the trunk layered one after another seem to represent the artistic spirit of Kim Jeonghui, who grew as a great artist through myriad glory and shame.

The old pine tree seems so weak that it may fall at any moment.

However, the ink of the pine needles appears strong enough to capture the power of Kim’s unflagging spirit. Ultimately, the tree makes us feel somewhat desolate, as if looking directly at Kim Jeonghui’s self-portrait.

The painting is divided into two. The pine tree lies at the center

C

D

C'

C

B

(b)

(a) (c)

(b')

A

and serves as the border. The title, the writer’s name and seal are on the right-hand side. There is also an old pine tree with a thick trunk there, making the right side feel somewhat heavy. However, the old pine tree is leaning towards the central pine tree, relieving the sense of weight. We can feel the artist’s intention to strike a balance between the left side and the right side of the piece.

Such a composition behind Sehando shows a more solid intention when considering it with the colophon. The colophon (23.8 × 37.8 cm) follows the painting and the center of the whole piece of art (108.3 cm wide), which exactly falls to the second nut pine (b'). The left outline of the second nut pine is particularly strong and that is the center (54.1 cm) of the whole work. Kim Jeonghui drew a strong line in an attempt to mark the center (Fig. 3). In other words, he planned the detailed placement of the painting and colophon parts for Sehando from the beginning instead of composing them separately.

For the colophon, Kim made a grid of 300 sections by drawing 16 × 21 ruler marks within a space of 15.1 × 36.1 cm. Each section of the grid is 1.1 × 2.8 cm, with the horizontal side being longer. Kim Jeonghui put one letter in each section but manipulated the size of the letters (Fig. 4). The each line consists of 15 sections. He then filled 15 letters, but due to the different sizes of each letter, the lines do not feel crowded. Ultimately, the number of letters come to 294, as there are some empty sections in the last line. Through consistent divisions of the grid and the flexible use of it, the relationship between the grid and letters displays a flexible beauty.

Sehando shows an abundance of harmony within formative elements, which makes it impossible to call it coincidental. The application of a consistent ratio and the relationship between each object and his calligraphy reveal that Kim had an overall plan before he completed the painting and wrote the colophon. It is amazing that Sehando includes such meticulous elements in its composition, as its overall feeling contains seemingly casual brushstrokes.

As seen earlier, Kim Jeonghui considered distance and ratio between objects in painting Sehando. Kim visualized his aesthetics while applying a consistent principle to the painting. It was a kind of rhythm and a principle of balance. This makes it akin to a principle of “numeric relations.” This shows that numeric relations were naturally considered as a formative device to realize Kim Jeonghui’s art rather than the meaning that Sehando shows any precise ratio in it.

There is finally a sense of solid balance and change, a humble but profound nobility, as well as disinterested, classical self-control in the painting because such numeric relations were hidden. If these kinds of numeric relations were directly shown in the painting, we might not consider it as beautiful as we do today. Yet when we gaze upon the hidden relations and sensibility that are ever-sosubtly present in Sehando, we become entranced by a mysterious inspiration.

11

Fig. 3 Detail of Fig. 1, part of the second nut pine

Fig. 4 Detail of Fig. 2, part of the colophon

10

curator ’ s talk

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Sehando consists of three pieces of paper connected with one another (Fig. 1). The first jointed piece of paper (a) is located along the central Chinese character han,寒 or coldness, in the title (Fig. 2).

The second jointed part (b) is vertically connected with the far left nut pine tree. The first piece, paper A is 8.3 cm wide, paper B is 45.6 cm wide, and the last, paper C, is 16.6 cm wide. We can see that the two pieces of paper were added to the main part, paper B. What is interesting is that the ratio of A and C is 1 to 2. Important formative elements of Sehando are mostly in paper B. Paper C completes Sehando and creates a lingering impression.

Furthermore, this part keeps a distance from the colophon so that two different atmospheres harmoniously coexist. If we measure the width of C starting from the begining of the painting, it reaches C' in the part where the title and the painter’s name are located. C and C' begin and end Sehando on each side, respectively.

Where is the center of Sehando? It is the point that is 35 cm away

Fig. 1 Sehando

By Kim Jeonghui Joseon, 1844 23.7 × 70.5 cm National Treasure No. 180 Sohn Chang Kun Collection

Fig. 2 Writer’s interpretation of Fig. 1

from each end (c), which is the straight pine tree at the center. This pine tree is interpreted as the symbol of Yi Sangjeok. Kim Jeonghui metaphorically represented Yi’s presence by painting a straight pine tree at the center of the painting. If the pine tree at the center is Yi Sangjeok, an old pine tree beside it can be seen as Kim Jeonghui himself. The large old pine tree with the thick trunk has straight upward branches which are thin, but there are fan-shaped pine needles at the end of the horizontal branch. The round scales of the trunk layered one after another seem to represent the artistic spirit of Kim Jeonghui, who grew as a great artist through myriad glory and shame.

The old pine tree seems so weak that it may fall at any moment.

However, the ink of the pine needles appears strong enough to capture the power of Kim’s unflagging spirit. Ultimately, the tree makes us feel somewhat desolate, as if looking directly at Kim Jeonghui’s self-portrait.

The painting is divided into two. The pine tree lies at the center

C

D

C'

C

B

(b)

(a) (c)

(b')

A

and serves as the border. The title, the writer’s name and seal are on the right-hand side. There is also an old pine tree with a thick trunk there, making the right side feel somewhat heavy. However, the old pine tree is leaning towards the central pine tree, relieving the sense of weight. We can feel the artist’s intention to strike a balance between the left side and the right side of the piece.

Such a composition behind Sehando shows a more solid intention when considering it with the colophon. The colophon (23.8 × 37.8 cm) follows the painting and the center of the whole piece of art (108.3 cm wide), which exactly falls to the second nut pine (b'). The left outline of the second nut pine is particularly strong and that is the center (54.1 cm) of the whole work. Kim Jeonghui drew a strong line in an attempt to mark the center (Fig. 3). In other words, he planned the detailed placement of the painting and colophon parts for Sehando from the beginning instead of composing them separately.

For the colophon, Kim made a grid of 300 sections by drawing 16 × 21 ruler marks within a space of 15.1 × 36.1 cm. Each section of the grid is 1.1 × 2.8 cm, with the horizontal side being longer. Kim Jeonghui put one letter in each section but manipulated the size of the letters (Fig. 4). The each line consists of 15 sections. He then filled 15 letters, but due to the different sizes of each letter, the lines do not feel crowded. Ultimately, the number of letters come to 294, as there are some empty sections in the last line. Through consistent divisions of the grid and the flexible use of it, the relationship between the grid and letters displays a flexible beauty.

Sehando shows an abundance of harmony within formative elements, which makes it impossible to call it coincidental. The application of a consistent ratio and the relationship between each object and his calligraphy reveal that Kim had an overall plan before he completed the painting and wrote the colophon. It is amazing that Sehando includes such meticulous elements in its composition, as its overall feeling contains seemingly casual brushstrokes.

As seen earlier, Kim Jeonghui considered distance and ratio between objects in painting Sehando. Kim visualized his aesthetics while applying a consistent principle to the painting. It was a kind of rhythm and a principle of balance. This makes it akin to a principle of “numeric relations.” This shows that numeric relations were naturally considered as a formative device to realize Kim Jeonghui’s art rather than the meaning that Sehando shows any precise ratio in it.

There is finally a sense of solid balance and change, a humble but profound nobility, as well as disinterested, classical self-control in the painting because such numeric relations were hidden. If these kinds of numeric relations were directly shown in the painting, we might not consider it as beautiful as we do today. Yet when we gaze upon the hidden relations and sensibility that are ever-sosubtly present in Sehando, we become entranced by a mysterious inspiration.

11

Fig. 3 Detail of Fig. 1, part of the second nut pine

Fig. 4 Detail of Fig. 2, part of the colophon

12

zoom in

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who Observes the Sound of Suffering

13

Fig. 1 Avalokitesvara

By Uigyeom Joseon, 1730 105.5 × 143.7 cm Colors on silk Treasure No. 1204

A

Fig. 2 Detail of Fig. 1 (the face of Avalokitesvara)

valokitesvara, who symbolizes the compassion of the Buddha, listens to the sound of people’s suffering and answers the call of sentient beings in order to ease their pain and save them from all kinds of disasters. Indeed, Gwanseeumbosal or Gwaneumbosal in short, the Korean name for Avalokitesvara, means the Bodhisattva who listens to the sound of suffering. Regardless of time and nation, Avalokitesvara has been widely worshipped wherever people believe in Buddha, whether it be India, China, Korea or Japan. With the wide dissemination of The Avatamsaka Sutra (Hwaeomgyeong; Flower Garland Sutra) in the Goryeo Dynasty,918–1392 Avalokitesvara was typically depicted as sitting on a rocky pedestal in front of the pond of the Pure Land, wearing a transparent veil over the head and looking down at Sudhana, who has sought him out on the Bodhisattva path toward enlightenment. Comparing Avalokitesvara’s way of going to save all sentient beings who call out to him to the moon, which appears wherever there is a body of clear water, such pictures of the Bodhisattva were called Water-Moon Avalokitesvara.

This painting was produced in 1730 by four monks led by head monk Uigyeom. The figure of Avalokitesvara sitting on a mat of grass on a rocky outcrop rising out of rolling waves dominates the painting. To his right is a kundika carrying a willow branch, and a bluebird is perched lightly on the branch. Beside the kundika, Sudhana sits with his hands together looking up at Avalokitesvara. On the other side of the painting are two bamboo trees rising above a rock. The iconography of this painting, while inheriting the tradition of Water-Moon Avalokitesvara paintings established in the early half of the Joseon Dynasty,1392–1910 has been transformed under the hands of the artist monk Uigyeom. This change is closely related to the situation at the time. After a series of wars such as the Japanese invasions and the Manchu invasions, halls built to pray for the souls of the dead and their liberation from all the suffering of the real world began to appear at the Buddhist temples of Joseon.

They include Jijangjeon, Gwaneumjeon and Wontongjeon among others. Avalokitesvara was enshrined as the principal icon in Wontongjeon while a painting of the Bodhisattva was featured behind

the statue. In large-scale Wontongjeon halls, such altar paintings were of a significant size and showed Avalokitesvara, the embodiment of compassion, facing the front with the dignified mien of a subject of worship.

Uigyeom painted this picture of Avalokitesvara taking into account its function as an altar painting and the size of the hall in which it was to be enshrined, adding refinement to the lines and colors of the Buddhist painting. The strongly colored robes of the Bodhisattva contrast and harmonize with the rocks under the bamboo, which are rendered in black ink-and-wash to create a calm atmosphere. The rolling waves are depicted in uniform lines and

the rock rising above the waves has been given depth with shading.

Uigyeom was a talented monk who in the early and mid-18th century produced some 30 Buddhist paintings and also took part in the production of Buddhist sculptures. His paintings of Avalokitesavra adopted the iconography of the early Joseon period. At the same time, they also provided a typical model for Avalokitesvara paintings of the later Joseon period. In this painting, Avalokitesvara has his eye cast down and is quietly listening to the sounds of the world. Sudhana, presses his two hands together in supplication before the Bodhisattva. Those neatly pressed together hands seem to be conveying the suffering sounds of the world....

12

zoom in

nmk 2016 winter | korean heritage

Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva who Observes the Sound of Suffering

13

Fig. 1 Avalokitesvara

By Uigyeom Joseon, 1730 105.5 × 143.7 cm Colors on silk Treasure No. 1204

A

Fig. 2 Detail of Fig. 1 (the face of Avalokitesvara)

valokitesvara, who symbolizes the compassion of the Buddha, listens to the sound of people’s suffering and answers the call of sentient beings in order to ease their pain and save them from all kinds of disasters. Indeed, Gwanseeumbosal or Gwaneumbosal in short, the Korean name for Avalokitesvara, means the Bodhisattva who listens to the sound of suffering. Regardless of time and nation, Avalokitesvara has been widely worshipped wherever people believe in Buddha, whether it be India, China, Korea or Japan. With the wide dissemination of The Avatamsaka Sutra (Hwaeomgyeong; Flower Garland Sutra) in the Goryeo Dynasty,918–1392 Avalokitesvara was typically depicted as sitting on a rocky pedestal in front of the pond of the Pure Land, wearing a transparent veil over the head and looking down at Sudhana, who has sought him out on the Bodhisattva path toward enlightenment. Comparing Avalokitesvara’s way of going to save all sentient beings who call out to him to the moon, which appears wherever there is a body of clear water, such pictures of the Bodhisattva were called Water-Moon Avalokitesvara.

This painting was produced in 1730 by four monks led by head monk Uigyeom. The figure of Avalokitesvara sitting on a mat of grass on a rocky outcrop rising out of rolling waves dominates the painting. To his right is a kundika carrying a willow branch, and a bluebird is perched lightly on the branch. Beside the kundika, Sudhana sits with his hands together looking up at Avalokitesvara. On the other side of the painting are two bamboo trees rising above a rock. The iconography of this painting, while inheriting the tradition of Water-Moon Avalokitesvara paintings established in the early half of the Joseon Dynasty,1392–1910 has been transformed under the hands of the artist monk Uigyeom. This change is closely related to the situation at the time. After a series of wars such as the Japanese invasions and the Manchu invasions, halls built to pray for the souls of the dead and their liberation from all the suffering of the real world began to appear at the Buddhist temples of Joseon.

They include Jijangjeon, Gwaneumjeon and Wontongjeon among others. Avalokitesvara was enshrined as the principal icon in Wontongjeon while a painting of the Bodhisattva was featured behind

the statue. In large-scale Wontongjeon halls, such altar paintings were of a significant size and showed Avalokitesvara, the embodiment of compassion, facing the front with the dignified mien of a subject of worship.

Uigyeom painted this picture of Avalokitesvara taking into account its function as an altar painting and the size of the hall in which it was to be enshrined, adding refinement to the lines and colors of the Buddhist painting. The strongly colored robes of the Bodhisattva contrast and harmonize with the rocks under the bamboo, which are rendered in black ink-and-wash to create a calm atmosphere. The rolling waves are depicted in uniform lines and

the rock rising above the waves has been given depth with shading.

Uigyeom was a talented monk who in the early and mid-18th century produced some 30 Buddhist paintings and also took part in the production of Buddhist sculptures. His paintings of Avalokitesavra adopted the iconography of the early Joseon period. At the same time, they also provided a typical model for Avalokitesvara paintings of the later Joseon period. In this painting, Avalokitesvara has his eye cast down and is quietly listening to the sounds of the world. Sudhana, presses his two hands together in supplication before the Bodhisattva. Those neatly pressed together hands seem to be conveying the suffering sounds of the world....

14

feature exhibition

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

DECEMBER 12, 2015 – APRIL 10, 2016 SPECIAL EXHIBITION GALLERY

RUBENS AND

OTHER MASTERS by baik seungmi, associate curator of the exhibition division

T

he National Museum of Korea proudly presents masterpieces from LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections. This marks the first time that the Princely Collections will be on display in Korea.

The Princely Collections is a highly notable Rubens collection from one of Europe’s leading museums. In fact, the museum is well known for housing a great deal of masterpieces from many eras, including the Renaissance, Baroque, and Biedermeier periods. Over 120 selected works from the collection will be displayed, such as paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, as well

as other sculptures, crafts, furniture, and tapestries.

This exhibition is especially significant in that it shows leading works by Flemish masters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Pieter Brueghel the younger, Jan Brueghel the elder, and Jacob Jordaens for the first time in Korea. Visitors can also see works by other masters of the same era from different regions, including Guido Reni of Italy and Lukas Cranach the elder of Germany. In addition, various genre paintings that appeared in the 17th century’s Dutch Golden Age will impart upon visitors how wealth and conflict coexisted during this time.

15

14

feature exhibition

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

DECEMBER 12, 2015 – APRIL 10, 2016 SPECIAL EXHIBITION GALLERY

RUBENS AND

OTHER MASTERS by baik seungmi, associate curator of the exhibition division

T

he National Museum of Korea proudly presents masterpieces from LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections. This marks the first time that the Princely Collections will be on display in Korea.

The Princely Collections is a highly notable Rubens collection from one of Europe’s leading museums. In fact, the museum is well known for housing a great deal of masterpieces from many eras, including the Renaissance, Baroque, and Biedermeier periods. Over 120 selected works from the collection will be displayed, such as paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, as well

as other sculptures, crafts, furniture, and tapestries.

This exhibition is especially significant in that it shows leading works by Flemish masters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Pieter Brueghel the younger, Jan Brueghel the elder, and Jacob Jordaens for the first time in Korea. Visitors can also see works by other masters of the same era from different regions, including Guido Reni of Italy and Lukas Cranach the elder of Germany. In addition, various genre paintings that appeared in the 17th century’s Dutch Golden Age will impart upon visitors how wealth and conflict coexisted during this time.

15

16

feature exhibition

Cabinet, c. 1650 (Pietre Dure: 1625) Melchior Baumgartner (1621–1686) ebony and stained black pearwood over softwood carcase, ivory, pietra dura, 87 × 108.5 × 60.5 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

Bust of Maria Annunciata, around 1670 Domenico Guidi (1625–1701) marble, 89 × 76 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

FLANDERS, THE BIRTHPLACE OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN ART The region consisting of today’s Belgium and the Netherlands was traditionally known as the Low Countries and governed by many feudal lords. Southern Netherlands was generally called “Flanders” and was of economic importance, with a dominant influence on Europe’s economy from the 14th century onwards. Rulers in the Flanders region were known for fully supporting the arts. In such an environment, Flemish art and music came to have an unrivaled status in the world. These artists were referred to as the Flemish School and tried free color composition with an innovative oil painting method using flaxseed oil. “The Flemish School” influenced not only Italy but also the whole of Europe. In fact, Flanders was paramount in Northern Europe’s artistic trends of the day, and its importance was

in many ways comparable to the Italian Renaissance.

In the midst of religious reformation and the political vortex of the 16th century, however, the country was divided into the Northern Netherlands, an independent federation mainly with Protestants, and the Southern Netherlands (Flanders), a Spanish region mainly with Catholics.

A great change in art soon followed. As a result, artists painted Counter-Reformation religious pieces and historical works mainly centering on churches and the court in Flanders. On the other hand, genre paintings such as portraits, landscape paintings, and still-life paintings were developed by focusing on organizations, unions, merchants, and middleclass individuals in the Northern Netherlands.

At this exhibition, visitors can now see firsthand the works of Flemish masters

17

Rubens was a master of going beyond the harmony of colors and showing the mastery of light effects and color arrangement.

such as Rubens, Van Dyck, and Jordaens, as well as genre paintings by Northern Netherlands’ masters such as Jan Steen, Adriaen van Ostade, and Gerard Dou. This provides an important way for people to appreciate these works and their worth in a comparative way.

Portrait of Clara Serena Rubens (1611–1623), c. 1616 Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) oil on canvas on wood, 37.3 × 26.9 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

River Landscape with a Ferry-Boat, 1631 Salomon van Ruysdael (1602–1670) oil on canvas, 71 × 116 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

RUBENS, AN ARTISTIC MASTER AND HUMAN BEING The most important theme of this exhibition is the multifaceted views allowed for visitors on Peter Paul Rubens, a true master of his time. He is often called a Flemish master, but the range of his activities was too expansive to limit him to being a plain Flemish artist. He was one of the leading international artists of his time.

He was a celebrated artist across all of Europe, and worked for courts and churches in Spain, France, England, and Italy. He was, in many ways, “the first pan-European painter.”

Today, Rubens is considered art his-

tory’s Prince of Painting. He was also one of the wealthiest artists in his day.

It is true that Rubens fully displayed his creative disposition as an artist with his inborn genius, passion, and extensive knowledge in classics. However, he was also able to display his ability to the fullest extent through many rulers’ support.

Additionally, he served as a diplomat and came to have extraordinary insight from an international perspective.

On top of painting, he showed a marked ability in many different fields such as prints, tombstones, illustrations, architecture, sculptures, tapestries, stage design, and metalworking. As such, he hired many assistants with great talents in each field and ran a syndicated corporate-like studio.

His studio created many masterpieces under his direction, playing an important role in disseminating Rubens’s style of painting all across Europe.

His interest in classics and ancient culture, as well as the power of a humanist

16

feature exhibition

Cabinet, c. 1650 (Pietre Dure: 1625) Melchior Baumgartner (1621–1686) ebony and stained black pearwood over softwood carcase, ivory, pietra dura, 87 × 108.5 × 60.5 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

Bust of Maria Annunciata, around 1670 Domenico Guidi (1625–1701) marble, 89 × 76 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

FLANDERS, THE BIRTHPLACE OF NORTHERN EUROPEAN ART The region consisting of today’s Belgium and the Netherlands was traditionally known as the Low Countries and governed by many feudal lords. Southern Netherlands was generally called “Flanders” and was of economic importance, with a dominant influence on Europe’s economy from the 14th century onwards. Rulers in the Flanders region were known for fully supporting the arts. In such an environment, Flemish art and music came to have an unrivaled status in the world. These artists were referred to as the Flemish School and tried free color composition with an innovative oil painting method using flaxseed oil. “The Flemish School” influenced not only Italy but also the whole of Europe. In fact, Flanders was paramount in Northern Europe’s artistic trends of the day, and its importance was

in many ways comparable to the Italian Renaissance.

In the midst of religious reformation and the political vortex of the 16th century, however, the country was divided into the Northern Netherlands, an independent federation mainly with Protestants, and the Southern Netherlands (Flanders), a Spanish region mainly with Catholics.

A great change in art soon followed. As a result, artists painted Counter-Reformation religious pieces and historical works mainly centering on churches and the court in Flanders. On the other hand, genre paintings such as portraits, landscape paintings, and still-life paintings were developed by focusing on organizations, unions, merchants, and middleclass individuals in the Northern Netherlands.

At this exhibition, visitors can now see firsthand the works of Flemish masters

17

Rubens was a master of going beyond the harmony of colors and showing the mastery of light effects and color arrangement.

such as Rubens, Van Dyck, and Jordaens, as well as genre paintings by Northern Netherlands’ masters such as Jan Steen, Adriaen van Ostade, and Gerard Dou. This provides an important way for people to appreciate these works and their worth in a comparative way.

Portrait of Clara Serena Rubens (1611–1623), c. 1616 Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) oil on canvas on wood, 37.3 × 26.9 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

River Landscape with a Ferry-Boat, 1631 Salomon van Ruysdael (1602–1670) oil on canvas, 71 × 116 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

RUBENS, AN ARTISTIC MASTER AND HUMAN BEING The most important theme of this exhibition is the multifaceted views allowed for visitors on Peter Paul Rubens, a true master of his time. He is often called a Flemish master, but the range of his activities was too expansive to limit him to being a plain Flemish artist. He was one of the leading international artists of his time.

He was a celebrated artist across all of Europe, and worked for courts and churches in Spain, France, England, and Italy. He was, in many ways, “the first pan-European painter.”

Today, Rubens is considered art his-

tory’s Prince of Painting. He was also one of the wealthiest artists in his day.

It is true that Rubens fully displayed his creative disposition as an artist with his inborn genius, passion, and extensive knowledge in classics. However, he was also able to display his ability to the fullest extent through many rulers’ support.

Additionally, he served as a diplomat and came to have extraordinary insight from an international perspective.

On top of painting, he showed a marked ability in many different fields such as prints, tombstones, illustrations, architecture, sculptures, tapestries, stage design, and metalworking. As such, he hired many assistants with great talents in each field and ran a syndicated corporate-like studio.

His studio created many masterpieces under his direction, playing an important role in disseminating Rubens’s style of painting all across Europe.

His interest in classics and ancient culture, as well as the power of a humanist

18

feature exhibition

St. Magdalene, 1615/1616 Guido Reni (1575–1642) oil on panel, 67 × 47.9 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

mindset, was another important source of life for Rubens. He had a strong command of many foreign languages and an extensive knowledge of the classics. He was a rare person who realized his ideal in life as a humanist through a liberal and integrative way of thinking.

Yet there were shadows in his life behind his brilliant success. Born in 1577, he lived his whole life in a period of misery, with ceaseless wars in between, until his death in 1640. His work as a diplomat may have been part of his efforts to overcome such war-related situations through participation in real-life affairs.

Besides the hardships from the time period he lived in, Rubens personally suffered many tragedies, including his father’s exile and death, his family’s migration, the death of his daughter and wife, and the death of his older brother, who was almost like a father to him. Despite such hardships and personal ordeals, his works highlight grandeur and glamour as well as a strong tendency towards ideals and hopes rather than traces of tragedy.

He lived a very dramatic life in a relatively short amount of time. Today, we are now able to rediscover the true character of Rubens both as a master of art and a remarkable human being.

RUBENS’S PEOPLE: VAN DYCK AND JORDAENS This exhibition presents works by other masters who were active in Rubens’s day. Among them, Anthony van Dyck was the most talented painter and a wellknown person who drew inspiration from Rubens. As a member of Rubens’s studio and top student, Van Dyck displayed profound skill that could overshadow his own teacher’s abilities, especially with portraits. His fame quickly spread across Europe. He was notable for his noble sophistication and excellent psychological description, while suggesting a clearly distinguished way of painting portraits.

He had a particular influence on artists in England and the upper class artistic tastes of the day, opening a new era of English painting later on.

Another Flemish master to pay attention to is Jacob Jordaens. As someone who almost never left Antwerp, the center of Flanders, he was literally a native Flemish artist. However, he was exposed to many international trends of art while working with Rubens at Rubens’s studio. Under such an influence, he created unique works based on a uniquely Flemish tradition. Jordaens’s works reveal a very folksy and austere reality instead of the classical gracefulness seen in works by Rubens or

19

Van Dyck. In particular, he fully expresses Flemish locales and the dynamic colors of Baroque art with its traditional customs, ordinary people’s daily lives, and cheerful fables as his subjects.

RUBENS AND HIS LEGACY Rubens was a master of going beyond the harmony of colors and showing the mastery of light effects and color arrangement.

His unrivalled color sense decisively contributed to the establishment of the socalled School of Peter Paul Rubens that considered colors as the source of deep impression in the late 17th century. This influence led to the Rococo style of Jean An-

toine Watteau and Francois Boucher in the 18th century, and it had a great influence on 19th-century French Romanticism. This was especially true for leading Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix, whom Rubens was a teacher and mentor. Rubens also influenced Realism and Impressionism of the late 19th century, while the great English Romantic painter John Constable was also greatly influenced by Rubens.

Rubens influenced countless modern artists and his influence is still felt today.

His works and life’s journey make us realize that art does not remain in the past, but provides a new compass towards the present and future.

PUBLICATION

This catalogue contains photographs and detailed descriptions of 120 carefully selected works from LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, considered as one of Europe’s leading museums. The works include paintings, sculptures, crafts, and tapestries. Also, the book includes an introduction by Johann Kräftner, the director of LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, and helps readers to understand the history of the collecting and building of the House of Liechtenstein.

Title Rubens and Other Masters ISBN 978-89-8164-140-5 Pages 272 Size 270.0 × 220.0 cm Language Korean (partly in English) Published December, 2015 Price KRW 26,000 (approx. $22)

18

feature exhibition

St. Magdalene, 1615/1616 Guido Reni (1575–1642) oil on panel, 67 × 47.9 cm LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

mindset, was another important source of life for Rubens. He had a strong command of many foreign languages and an extensive knowledge of the classics. He was a rare person who realized his ideal in life as a humanist through a liberal and integrative way of thinking.

Yet there were shadows in his life behind his brilliant success. Born in 1577, he lived his whole life in a period of misery, with ceaseless wars in between, until his death in 1640. His work as a diplomat may have been part of his efforts to overcome such war-related situations through participation in real-life affairs.

Besides the hardships from the time period he lived in, Rubens personally suffered many tragedies, including his father’s exile and death, his family’s migration, the death of his daughter and wife, and the death of his older brother, who was almost like a father to him. Despite such hardships and personal ordeals, his works highlight grandeur and glamour as well as a strong tendency towards ideals and hopes rather than traces of tragedy.

He lived a very dramatic life in a relatively short amount of time. Today, we are now able to rediscover the true character of Rubens both as a master of art and a remarkable human being.

RUBENS’S PEOPLE: VAN DYCK AND JORDAENS This exhibition presents works by other masters who were active in Rubens’s day. Among them, Anthony van Dyck was the most talented painter and a wellknown person who drew inspiration from Rubens. As a member of Rubens’s studio and top student, Van Dyck displayed profound skill that could overshadow his own teacher’s abilities, especially with portraits. His fame quickly spread across Europe. He was notable for his noble sophistication and excellent psychological description, while suggesting a clearly distinguished way of painting portraits.

He had a particular influence on artists in England and the upper class artistic tastes of the day, opening a new era of English painting later on.

Another Flemish master to pay attention to is Jacob Jordaens. As someone who almost never left Antwerp, the center of Flanders, he was literally a native Flemish artist. However, he was exposed to many international trends of art while working with Rubens at Rubens’s studio. Under such an influence, he created unique works based on a uniquely Flemish tradition. Jordaens’s works reveal a very folksy and austere reality instead of the classical gracefulness seen in works by Rubens or

19

Van Dyck. In particular, he fully expresses Flemish locales and the dynamic colors of Baroque art with its traditional customs, ordinary people’s daily lives, and cheerful fables as his subjects.

RUBENS AND HIS LEGACY Rubens was a master of going beyond the harmony of colors and showing the mastery of light effects and color arrangement.

His unrivalled color sense decisively contributed to the establishment of the socalled School of Peter Paul Rubens that considered colors as the source of deep impression in the late 17th century. This influence led to the Rococo style of Jean An-

toine Watteau and Francois Boucher in the 18th century, and it had a great influence on 19th-century French Romanticism. This was especially true for leading Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix, whom Rubens was a teacher and mentor. Rubens also influenced Realism and Impressionism of the late 19th century, while the great English Romantic painter John Constable was also greatly influenced by Rubens.

Rubens influenced countless modern artists and his influence is still felt today.

His works and life’s journey make us realize that art does not remain in the past, but provides a new compass towards the present and future.

PUBLICATION

This catalogue contains photographs and detailed descriptions of 120 carefully selected works from LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, considered as one of Europe’s leading museums. The works include paintings, sculptures, crafts, and tapestries. Also, the book includes an introduction by Johann Kräftner, the director of LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, and helps readers to understand the history of the collecting and building of the House of Liechtenstein.

Title Rubens and Other Masters ISBN 978-89-8164-140-5 Pages 272 Size 270.0 × 220.0 cm Language Korean (partly in English) Published December, 2015 Price KRW 26,000 (approx. $22)

20

visitor

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

SONG CHANHYEOK Self-employed

ENCOUNTERING MASTERS OF FLEMISH ART by the editorial team

2. What were your overall impressions of the exhibition?

3. What was your favorite work?

4. Would you recommend anyone you know to visit this exhibition?

VICTORIA

1. This is my first time to visit Korea and a friend I met at a hostel asked me to go to the exhibition together. I graduated from an art academy in Russia, so I’m usually quite interested in art and artists such as Rubens. When learning art history at school, I felt it was boring but art is indeed very important.

2. I was lucky to see such a great exhibition on my first visit to the NMK. While appreciating the works on display, my friends and I talked about our impressions. I guess we enjoyed the exhibition even more because we all had different tastes.

3. Rubens’s works were good, but I really liked Hans Makart’s The Death of Cleopatra, as it contains both beauty and powerful emotion. Based on my personal experience, I know how difficult it is to

paint a vivid picture in such a unique style. I teach professional makeup artists and sometimes work for magazines and art projects at my studio in Moscow. I’ll definitely draw inspiration for my own work from this painting.

4. I’d recommend this exhibition to anyone who is interested in art. I feel we all need to make a little time to enjoy art because life can be very stressful.

1. I enjoy looking at paintings. When I saw an ad for this exhibition on Renaissance painters’ works, I made a note on my cellphone scheduler. I’d heard about Rubens before but never seen his paintings. That’s why I really wanted to come to this exhibition. This is the first time I’ve been to the NMK and it’s been a good experience.

2. I traveled to Western Europe 12 years ago. Even though I didn’t have an eye for paintings, I wanted to go to the Louvre. Paintings of Napoleon and battlefield were very impressive for me. I also visited the Vatican Museums to see artworks. When traveling in Europe I had to move with my group according to a set schedule, so I couldn’t take my time to really appreciate all the works. What I liked about this exhibition at the NMK was that I was able to take the time to

How did you learn about this exhibition and what made you visit it?

1.

Visual Artist

21

HONG MI-OK Painter

1. Painting is both my hobby and my job.

I run a blog to share appreciation and information on art. That’s how I was able to learn about this exhibition early on.

2. I like paintings such as Jordaens, as opposed to Rubens, because Jordaens dealt with everyday life. In the past, I went to special exhibitions on foreign artists held at other museums a few times, but they only had few major works, which was disappointing. However, this exhbition at the NMK displayed more works by famous painters than I’d expected, just as the title Rubens and Other Masters indicates. It was a pleasant surprise. Today, I came alone, but I’d happily come back to this exhibition a couple of more times in the future.

3. The tapestries were most impressive.

I really enjoyed reading Tracy Chevalier’s

appreciate works that I can rarely see at other Korean museums.

3. Obviously I liked Rubens, but what really struck me was Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s The Numbering at Bethlehem.

For me the painting was charmingly decorated with detailed expressions of so many people’s faces and their clothes. It was remarkable.

4. My son studied Korean painting for some time before stopping due to personal circumstances, much to his regret. Like me, my son also loves to appreciate paintings, so we sometimes visit museums together. I’d certainly recommend this exhibition to my son and his girlfriend.

novel The Lady and the Unicorn.

Although the book describes the production process of a huge tapestry in great detail, it was difficult for me to imagine in my head because I’d never seen such a tapestry. Thus, it was really great for me to appreciate a large-sized tapestry of the same time period in the novel through this exhibition.

4. When I said I was going to this exhibition, friends of mine in other parts of the country said they’d go to the exhibition if it was any good. I plan on contacting these same friends and telling them we should go together.

20

visitor

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

SONG CHANHYEOK Self-employed

ENCOUNTERING MASTERS OF FLEMISH ART by the editorial team

2. What were your overall impressions of the exhibition?

3. What was your favorite work?

4. Would you recommend anyone you know to visit this exhibition?

VICTORIA

1. This is my first time to visit Korea and a friend I met at a hostel asked me to go to the exhibition together. I graduated from an art academy in Russia, so I’m usually quite interested in art and artists such as Rubens. When learning art history at school, I felt it was boring but art is indeed very important.

2. I was lucky to see such a great exhibition on my first visit to the NMK. While appreciating the works on display, my friends and I talked about our impressions. I guess we enjoyed the exhibition even more because we all had different tastes.

3. Rubens’s works were good, but I really liked Hans Makart’s The Death of Cleopatra, as it contains both beauty and powerful emotion. Based on my personal experience, I know how difficult it is to

paint a vivid picture in such a unique style. I teach professional makeup artists and sometimes work for magazines and art projects at my studio in Moscow. I’ll definitely draw inspiration for my own work from this painting.

4. I’d recommend this exhibition to anyone who is interested in art. I feel we all need to make a little time to enjoy art because life can be very stressful.

1. I enjoy looking at paintings. When I saw an ad for this exhibition on Renaissance painters’ works, I made a note on my cellphone scheduler. I’d heard about Rubens before but never seen his paintings. That’s why I really wanted to come to this exhibition. This is the first time I’ve been to the NMK and it’s been a good experience.

2. I traveled to Western Europe 12 years ago. Even though I didn’t have an eye for paintings, I wanted to go to the Louvre. Paintings of Napoleon and battlefield were very impressive for me. I also visited the Vatican Museums to see artworks. When traveling in Europe I had to move with my group according to a set schedule, so I couldn’t take my time to really appreciate all the works. What I liked about this exhibition at the NMK was that I was able to take the time to

How did you learn about this exhibition and what made you visit it?

1.

Visual Artist

21

HONG MI-OK Painter

1. Painting is both my hobby and my job.

I run a blog to share appreciation and information on art. That’s how I was able to learn about this exhibition early on.

2. I like paintings such as Jordaens, as opposed to Rubens, because Jordaens dealt with everyday life. In the past, I went to special exhibitions on foreign artists held at other museums a few times, but they only had few major works, which was disappointing. However, this exhbition at the NMK displayed more works by famous painters than I’d expected, just as the title Rubens and Other Masters indicates. It was a pleasant surprise. Today, I came alone, but I’d happily come back to this exhibition a couple of more times in the future.

3. The tapestries were most impressive.

I really enjoyed reading Tracy Chevalier’s

appreciate works that I can rarely see at other Korean museums.

3. Obviously I liked Rubens, but what really struck me was Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s The Numbering at Bethlehem.

For me the painting was charmingly decorated with detailed expressions of so many people’s faces and their clothes. It was remarkable.

4. My son studied Korean painting for some time before stopping due to personal circumstances, much to his regret. Like me, my son also loves to appreciate paintings, so we sometimes visit museums together. I’d certainly recommend this exhibition to my son and his girlfriend.

novel The Lady and the Unicorn.

Although the book describes the production process of a huge tapestry in great detail, it was difficult for me to imagine in my head because I’d never seen such a tapestry. Thus, it was really great for me to appreciate a large-sized tapestry of the same time period in the novel through this exhibition.

4. When I said I was going to this exhibition, friends of mine in other parts of the country said they’d go to the exhibition if it was any good. I plan on contacting these same friends and telling them we should go together.

22

rnm exhibition 1

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

23

OCTOBER 27 – DECEMBER 20, 2015 JEONJU NATIONAL MUSEUM

THE WUYUE KINGDOM DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF THE TANG AND SONG DYNASTIES by the editorial team

Gold Dragons Tang Dynasty L. 23.5 cm, H. 8.5 cm, W. 40.23 g

F

or almost two months, the Jeonju National Museum held a joint special exhibition called The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties with China’s Suzhou Museum. Jeonju became the capital when Gyeon Hwon established Later Baekje.900–936 The city would go on to play an important role in leading the Later Three Kingdoms Period over the following 37 years. After Gyeon Hwon moved the capital to Wansanju (Jeonju’s former name) to establish Later Baekje, he formally brokered diplomatic relations with the Wuyue Kingdom.907–978 At the time, Wuyue was quite prosperous. Its prosperity centered around Jiangsu and Zhejiang during China’s Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms periods. In fact, the largest production site of celadon porcelain Yue ware back then was located within the borders of the Wuyue Kingdom. Also known as the final destination of China’s South Sea trade and the heart of marine trade, Wuyue was an essential country for Later Baekje in terms of conducting marine trade with China. Later Baekje actually solidified its economic foundation based on diplomatic relations with Wuyue and was able to secure political guardianship internationally through diplomatic negotiations with other nations.

By highlighting a variety of artifacts from the Tang Dynasty all the way to the Song Dynasty, this exhibition shed light on the history and culture of Wuyue, which enjoyed close ties with Later Baekje.

This marked the first time that the Suzhou Museum’s masterpieces were displayed in Jeonju. It was also the culmination of continuous exchanges that took place after a mutual agreement between the Jeonju National Museum and the Suzhou Museum was originally signed in 2009. Specifically, visitors were able to fully appreciate roughly 130 artifacts, including four national treasures of China, on top of major parts of the Suzhou Museum’s collection, such as Buddhist artworks found at Huqiu Pagoda and Ruiguang Pagoda as well as Yue ware and numerous burial items.

The exhibition consisted of four parts.

Part 1, “The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties,” introduced facts about the

Bronze Eleven-faced Standing Statues of Avalokiteshvara Song Dynasty H. 23.5 cm Excavated from Huqiu Pagoda, Suzhou

Wuyue Kingdom. During the transitional period between the Tang and Song Dynasties, China was going through a period of drastic political changes with its five dynasties and ten regional kingdoms. Wuyue was one of those Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Through burial goods and artifacts from that time, we can now look into the lives and religious views of people who lived in Suzhou. Of all the displayed artifacts, Gold Dragons seem to have been used for the ritual of throwing dragons made of gold or copper into a cave while wishing for rain.

Although Buddhism prospered in ancient China, one can assume that there was a mixed view of religion based on unearthed artifacts related to Taoism and Confucianism and found among ordinary people.

22

rnm exhibition 1

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

23

OCTOBER 27 – DECEMBER 20, 2015 JEONJU NATIONAL MUSEUM

THE WUYUE KINGDOM DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF THE TANG AND SONG DYNASTIES by the editorial team

Gold Dragons Tang Dynasty L. 23.5 cm, H. 8.5 cm, W. 40.23 g

F

or almost two months, the Jeonju National Museum held a joint special exhibition called The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties with China’s Suzhou Museum. Jeonju became the capital when Gyeon Hwon established Later Baekje.900–936 The city would go on to play an important role in leading the Later Three Kingdoms Period over the following 37 years. After Gyeon Hwon moved the capital to Wansanju (Jeonju’s former name) to establish Later Baekje, he formally brokered diplomatic relations with the Wuyue Kingdom.907–978 At the time, Wuyue was quite prosperous. Its prosperity centered around Jiangsu and Zhejiang during China’s Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms periods. In fact, the largest production site of celadon porcelain Yue ware back then was located within the borders of the Wuyue Kingdom. Also known as the final destination of China’s South Sea trade and the heart of marine trade, Wuyue was an essential country for Later Baekje in terms of conducting marine trade with China. Later Baekje actually solidified its economic foundation based on diplomatic relations with Wuyue and was able to secure political guardianship internationally through diplomatic negotiations with other nations.

By highlighting a variety of artifacts from the Tang Dynasty all the way to the Song Dynasty, this exhibition shed light on the history and culture of Wuyue, which enjoyed close ties with Later Baekje.

This marked the first time that the Suzhou Museum’s masterpieces were displayed in Jeonju. It was also the culmination of continuous exchanges that took place after a mutual agreement between the Jeonju National Museum and the Suzhou Museum was originally signed in 2009. Specifically, visitors were able to fully appreciate roughly 130 artifacts, including four national treasures of China, on top of major parts of the Suzhou Museum’s collection, such as Buddhist artworks found at Huqiu Pagoda and Ruiguang Pagoda as well as Yue ware and numerous burial items.

The exhibition consisted of four parts.

Part 1, “The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties,” introduced facts about the

Bronze Eleven-faced Standing Statues of Avalokiteshvara Song Dynasty H. 23.5 cm Excavated from Huqiu Pagoda, Suzhou

Wuyue Kingdom. During the transitional period between the Tang and Song Dynasties, China was going through a period of drastic political changes with its five dynasties and ten regional kingdoms. Wuyue was one of those Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Through burial goods and artifacts from that time, we can now look into the lives and religious views of people who lived in Suzhou. Of all the displayed artifacts, Gold Dragons seem to have been used for the ritual of throwing dragons made of gold or copper into a cave while wishing for rain.

Although Buddhism prospered in ancient China, one can assume that there was a mixed view of religion based on unearthed artifacts related to Taoism and Confucianism and found among ordinary people.

24

rnm exhibition 1

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

25

PUBLICATION

Part 2, “Yue Ware, the Source of Wealth during the Wuyue Kingdom,” displayed various ceramics that included Yue ware, long known as the source of Chinese celadon. Yue kiln was one of the most famous kilns in China during the Tang and Song Dynasties. Ceramics produced around Yuyao and Shaoxing in Zhejiang province were called Yuezhou ware, or simply Yue ware. These ceramic wares were closely related to the emergence of Goryeo celadon. As can be seen from extant Yue ware Celadon Bowls and Ewers, celadon in its early stages was produced as a tool for drinking tea. These came in simple forms and were olive-green, not celadon green, in color. After the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, countless kilns emerged in China by the time of Northern Song. Gradually, artisans developed celadon with a wide array of patterns, colors, and shapes. This included Porcelain Covered Bowl with Bluish Glaze and Basin with Flocculent Lavender-Blue Glaze.

Part 3, “Wuyue Kingdom of the Buddha-land,” examines the Buddhist culture of Wuyue, otherwise known as the “Buddha-field of Southeast China.” From the first king, Qian Liu, r. 907–932 to the last king, Qian Chu, r. 948–978 all of Wuyue’s kings actively supported Buddhism. In particular, the last king, Qian Chu, was most active about his support of Buddhism during his 30-year reign. In fact, Buddhist relics from Wuyue such as temples and pagodas that still exist today were mostly built during his reign. At this exhi-

Pearl Pillar of the Buddhist Shrine (Replica) Northern Song Dynasty H. 122.6 cm Excavated from Ruiguang Pagoda, Suzhou

bition, visitors were given the chance to appreciate artifacts found at Leifeng Pagoda in Hangzhou (the capital of Wuyue) and Huqiu Pagoda (a pagoda built on a hill that looks like a tiger) in Suzhou.

Some of the most notable works include the Bronze Eleven-faced Standing Statues of Avalokiteshvara, the Gold-plating Sutra Case Carved Design in Openwork, and the Bronze Mirror from Huqiu Pagoda, all of which are now national treasures in China. Another work, the Pearl Pillar of the Buddhist Shrine, which was found in Ruiguang Pagoda, used materials such as crystal, agate, amber, pearl, Santalales, gold, and silver on the “seven gems” of Buddhism. Although the sutra case exhibited today is an elaborate replica, it is

decorated with 40,000 pearls and vividly represents 17 statues through its carved Santalales that drew on artists’ advanced skills, as well as dragons made of silver threads. All of these works clearly show the prosperity of craft arts and Buddhism during the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty period.

Part 4, “The Wuyue Kingdom and the Later Baekje Kingdom,” displayed artifacts that reflected the influence of international exchanges between Later Baekje and the Wuyue Kingdom. While the active international relations between Later Baekje and Wuyue were focused on political and economic aims, they may have also provided Later Baekje with opportunities to accept new art and culture from China.

The assumption of such exchanges can be seen through China’s Gilt-bronze Buddha Standing and the Celadon Flower-shaped Dish Shards and Celadon Ewer found in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do. At present, the Jeonju National Museum is carrying out excavation efforts in order to learn more about the history of Later Baekje, which has historically not been studied. Through this most recent project, the museum will more carefully examine the history of the Jeonju as well as the relationship between Later Baekje and the Wuyue Kingdom. There is also a plan to exhibit artifacts from the Jeonju National Museum at the Suzhou Museum two years from now, so we expect even more exchanges between the two museums in the future.

This catalogue introduces the history and culture of the Wuyue Kingdom, which had close ties with Later Baekje.

This book has 191 photographs of various artifacts from the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty and three essays.

The artifacts include Yue ware and Buddhist artworks that are major collection of China’s Suzhou Museum.

Title The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties ISBN 979-11-956456-0-2-93900 Pages 264 Size 280.0 × 220.0 cm

Bronze Mirror Song Dynasty D. 16.2 cm Excavated from Huqiu Pagoda, Suzhou

Tree Figurine of Blue Dragon Northern Song Dynasty L. 32.6 cm, H. 19.0 cm, W. 2.1 cm

Language Korean (partly summarized in Chinese and English) Published October 26, 2015 Price KRW 35,000 (approx. $30)

24

rnm exhibition 1

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

25

PUBLICATION

Part 2, “Yue Ware, the Source of Wealth during the Wuyue Kingdom,” displayed various ceramics that included Yue ware, long known as the source of Chinese celadon. Yue kiln was one of the most famous kilns in China during the Tang and Song Dynasties. Ceramics produced around Yuyao and Shaoxing in Zhejiang province were called Yuezhou ware, or simply Yue ware. These ceramic wares were closely related to the emergence of Goryeo celadon. As can be seen from extant Yue ware Celadon Bowls and Ewers, celadon in its early stages was produced as a tool for drinking tea. These came in simple forms and were olive-green, not celadon green, in color. After the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, countless kilns emerged in China by the time of Northern Song. Gradually, artisans developed celadon with a wide array of patterns, colors, and shapes. This included Porcelain Covered Bowl with Bluish Glaze and Basin with Flocculent Lavender-Blue Glaze.

Part 3, “Wuyue Kingdom of the Buddha-land,” examines the Buddhist culture of Wuyue, otherwise known as the “Buddha-field of Southeast China.” From the first king, Qian Liu, r. 907–932 to the last king, Qian Chu, r. 948–978 all of Wuyue’s kings actively supported Buddhism. In particular, the last king, Qian Chu, was most active about his support of Buddhism during his 30-year reign. In fact, Buddhist relics from Wuyue such as temples and pagodas that still exist today were mostly built during his reign. At this exhi-

Pearl Pillar of the Buddhist Shrine (Replica) Northern Song Dynasty H. 122.6 cm Excavated from Ruiguang Pagoda, Suzhou

bition, visitors were given the chance to appreciate artifacts found at Leifeng Pagoda in Hangzhou (the capital of Wuyue) and Huqiu Pagoda (a pagoda built on a hill that looks like a tiger) in Suzhou.

Some of the most notable works include the Bronze Eleven-faced Standing Statues of Avalokiteshvara, the Gold-plating Sutra Case Carved Design in Openwork, and the Bronze Mirror from Huqiu Pagoda, all of which are now national treasures in China. Another work, the Pearl Pillar of the Buddhist Shrine, which was found in Ruiguang Pagoda, used materials such as crystal, agate, amber, pearl, Santalales, gold, and silver on the “seven gems” of Buddhism. Although the sutra case exhibited today is an elaborate replica, it is

decorated with 40,000 pearls and vividly represents 17 statues through its carved Santalales that drew on artists’ advanced skills, as well as dragons made of silver threads. All of these works clearly show the prosperity of craft arts and Buddhism during the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty period.

Part 4, “The Wuyue Kingdom and the Later Baekje Kingdom,” displayed artifacts that reflected the influence of international exchanges between Later Baekje and the Wuyue Kingdom. While the active international relations between Later Baekje and Wuyue were focused on political and economic aims, they may have also provided Later Baekje with opportunities to accept new art and culture from China.

The assumption of such exchanges can be seen through China’s Gilt-bronze Buddha Standing and the Celadon Flower-shaped Dish Shards and Celadon Ewer found in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do. At present, the Jeonju National Museum is carrying out excavation efforts in order to learn more about the history of Later Baekje, which has historically not been studied. Through this most recent project, the museum will more carefully examine the history of the Jeonju as well as the relationship between Later Baekje and the Wuyue Kingdom. There is also a plan to exhibit artifacts from the Jeonju National Museum at the Suzhou Museum two years from now, so we expect even more exchanges between the two museums in the future.

This catalogue introduces the history and culture of the Wuyue Kingdom, which had close ties with Later Baekje.

This book has 191 photographs of various artifacts from the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty and three essays.

The artifacts include Yue ware and Buddhist artworks that are major collection of China’s Suzhou Museum.

Title The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties ISBN 979-11-956456-0-2-93900 Pages 264 Size 280.0 × 220.0 cm

Bronze Mirror Song Dynasty D. 16.2 cm Excavated from Huqiu Pagoda, Suzhou

Tree Figurine of Blue Dragon Northern Song Dynasty L. 32.6 cm, H. 19.0 cm, W. 2.1 cm

Language Korean (partly summarized in Chinese and English) Published October 26, 2015 Price KRW 35,000 (approx. $30)

26

rnm exhibition 2

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

SEPTEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 13, 2015 DAEGU NATIONAL MUSEUM

A WALK INTO THE HISTORY OF SHARKS AND DOMBAEGI (SHARK MEAT) OF KOREA by the editorial team

Ornamental Sword Joseon Dynasty L. 75.2 cm Korea University Museum

F

or nearly three months, the Daegu National Museum held a special exhibition entitled A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea, a collection of Korean cultural heritage items related to sharks. This marked the first time this kind of exhibition had ever been organized in Korea.

Dombaegi refers to shark meat that is cut in a certain size and then salted. Historically, shark meat has been an important offering for ancestral rites in Gyeongju and other regions in the Gyeongsangbukdo area. Shark bones have been found in tombs from the Three Kingdoms Period 57 BCE–668 CE in Gyeongsangbuk-do, so it is assumed that shark meat began to be used as an offering for ancestral rites no later than the Three Kingdoms Period.

Koreans have long used sharks as a medicinal ingredient and decorated wooden furniture and craftworks for the royal family

and upper-class families using shark skin.

This exhibition consisted of four parts and displayed over 900 artifacts that were decorated with shark remains, such as their bones, teeth and shark skin. This included swords, wooden furniture, royal seals and boxes that were found at over 40 historic sites across the country and dated as far back as the Neolithic Period all the way to the Goryeo Dynasty.

Part 1, “Sharks in Korea,” provided information about sharks that inhabit the seas around Korea. Upon entering the exhibition hall, visitors saw over 40 species of sharks currently inhabiting the Korean seas, complete with specimens and paintings. When did Koreans start to catch sharks? The oldest records date back to wooden slips from the Goryeo Dynasty. However, sharks also appeared in Sinjeungdonggungnyeojiseungnam (Humanized Geographic Knowledge of Joseon) and Jasaneobo (The Marine Biology Book). Sinjeungdonggungnyeojiseungnam was an important book about humanized geography in the early Joseon Dynasty, while Jasaneobo was a record of fish in the coastal waters of Heuksando Island. The Petroglyphs of Bangudae, Korean National Treasure No. 285, is a historic site where proof of the first whale hunting by people on the Korean Peninsula is evident. This petroglyph vividly shows how people hunted countless land animals and fish, including sharks. The shark carved here seems to belong to the Lamnidae family of sharks (also known as white sharks) based on the sharp mouth

27

and tail as well as the position of the fins.

The large shark printed on the exhibition poster perfectly followed the silhouette of the shark verified in The Petroglyphs of Bangudae.

Part 2, “Shark Meat and Shark Bones,” highlighted prehistoric artifacts related to sharks found across the country. Remains where shark bones have been excavated are mainly shell mounds that were formed by the coasts along the Korean Peninsula since the Neolithic Period. Shell mounds are concentrated on the east coast, south below Ulsan, while on the west coast they stretched south below Gunsan. The fact that shark bones were excavated from these areas implies that Neolithic people ate shark meat. It seems that Koreans also carried out certain kinds of processing in order to use shark bones for accessories because there are traces of artificial holes in Accessory with Shark Tooth and Accessories with Shark’s Centrums.

Part 3, “Sharks and Dombaegi,” examined dombaegi which were used as an offering for ancestral rites in the past. In Gyeongsangbuk-do, including Pohang, Gyeongju, Gyeongsan, and Daegu, dombaegi were always set on the table as an offering for traditional holidays and ancestral rites. An interesting part is that shark bones are often found in tombs located in Gyeongsangbuk-do that were made during the Three Kingdoms Period. Shark remains have mostly been excavated from large tombs where ruling class people were buried. Among the tombs of the Three Kingdoms Period, the largest num-

The Petroglyphs of Bangudae Ulsan University Museum 2000, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage 2011

Accessory with Shark Tooth Neolithic Period L. 4.8 cm Busan Museum

26

rnm exhibition 2

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

SEPTEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 13, 2015 DAEGU NATIONAL MUSEUM

A WALK INTO THE HISTORY OF SHARKS AND DOMBAEGI (SHARK MEAT) OF KOREA by the editorial team

Ornamental Sword Joseon Dynasty L. 75.2 cm Korea University Museum

F

or nearly three months, the Daegu National Museum held a special exhibition entitled A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea, a collection of Korean cultural heritage items related to sharks. This marked the first time this kind of exhibition had ever been organized in Korea.

Dombaegi refers to shark meat that is cut in a certain size and then salted. Historically, shark meat has been an important offering for ancestral rites in Gyeongju and other regions in the Gyeongsangbukdo area. Shark bones have been found in tombs from the Three Kingdoms Period 57 BCE–668 CE in Gyeongsangbuk-do, so it is assumed that shark meat began to be used as an offering for ancestral rites no later than the Three Kingdoms Period.

Koreans have long used sharks as a medicinal ingredient and decorated wooden furniture and craftworks for the royal family

and upper-class families using shark skin.

This exhibition consisted of four parts and displayed over 900 artifacts that were decorated with shark remains, such as their bones, teeth and shark skin. This included swords, wooden furniture, royal seals and boxes that were found at over 40 historic sites across the country and dated as far back as the Neolithic Period all the way to the Goryeo Dynasty.

Part 1, “Sharks in Korea,” provided information about sharks that inhabit the seas around Korea. Upon entering the exhibition hall, visitors saw over 40 species of sharks currently inhabiting the Korean seas, complete with specimens and paintings. When did Koreans start to catch sharks? The oldest records date back to wooden slips from the Goryeo Dynasty. However, sharks also appeared in Sinjeungdonggungnyeojiseungnam (Humanized Geographic Knowledge of Joseon) and Jasaneobo (The Marine Biology Book). Sinjeungdonggungnyeojiseungnam was an important book about humanized geography in the early Joseon Dynasty, while Jasaneobo was a record of fish in the coastal waters of Heuksando Island. The Petroglyphs of Bangudae, Korean National Treasure No. 285, is a historic site where proof of the first whale hunting by people on the Korean Peninsula is evident. This petroglyph vividly shows how people hunted countless land animals and fish, including sharks. The shark carved here seems to belong to the Lamnidae family of sharks (also known as white sharks) based on the sharp mouth

27

and tail as well as the position of the fins.

The large shark printed on the exhibition poster perfectly followed the silhouette of the shark verified in The Petroglyphs of Bangudae.

Part 2, “Shark Meat and Shark Bones,” highlighted prehistoric artifacts related to sharks found across the country. Remains where shark bones have been excavated are mainly shell mounds that were formed by the coasts along the Korean Peninsula since the Neolithic Period. Shell mounds are concentrated on the east coast, south below Ulsan, while on the west coast they stretched south below Gunsan. The fact that shark bones were excavated from these areas implies that Neolithic people ate shark meat. It seems that Koreans also carried out certain kinds of processing in order to use shark bones for accessories because there are traces of artificial holes in Accessory with Shark Tooth and Accessories with Shark’s Centrums.

Part 3, “Sharks and Dombaegi,” examined dombaegi which were used as an offering for ancestral rites in the past. In Gyeongsangbuk-do, including Pohang, Gyeongju, Gyeongsan, and Daegu, dombaegi were always set on the table as an offering for traditional holidays and ancestral rites. An interesting part is that shark bones are often found in tombs located in Gyeongsangbuk-do that were made during the Three Kingdoms Period. Shark remains have mostly been excavated from large tombs where ruling class people were buried. Among the tombs of the Three Kingdoms Period, the largest num-

The Petroglyphs of Bangudae Ulsan University Museum 2000, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage 2011

Accessory with Shark Tooth Neolithic Period L. 4.8 cm Busan Museum

28

rnm exhibition 2

ber of shark bones have been excavated from tombs in Imdang-dong, Gyeongsan. For this exhibition, and for the very first time, the Daegu National Museum restored shark bones found in the additional coffin of Tomb No. E I-1 at Joyeongdong, as well as those found in historic remains in Imdang site. While this excavation work was being done, it was also confirmed for the first time that people buried shark meat after cutting the shark with a knife. This supports the idea that the tradition of using dombaegi as an important offering for the dead may go back as far as 1,500 years ago.

Part 4, “Shark Skin and Decorations,” displayed wooden furniture and craftworks decorated with shark skin. This particular shark was called gyo-eo or sa-eo (sand fish) in old documents. The dried

Two-Tiered Chest, Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl and Turtle Shell The Latter part of Joseon Dynasty 77 × 41 × 126.5 cm Indang Museum of Daegu Health College

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

shark skin was tougher than other animal skins and had a coarse texture with unique bump patterns. Thus, it was used for craftworks and various small tools.

As seen in works such as Glasses Cases, The Lacquered Cabinet and Two-Tiered Chest, wooden furniture and craftworks decorated with shark skin appear quite luxurious and elaborate. That is why historians now claim that these objects were used by a small number of people with a very high social status. Furthermore, sharks represented the highest level of marine predator organisms and were symbolically known as the “king of fish.”

For that reason shark skin was also used for boxes that contained royal seals—the symbol of the king’s authority—and a number of decorated swords used by the royal family.

29

PUBLICATION

The book for this special exhibition introduces a variety of Korean cultural heritage objects related to sharks. It also goes into detail about the culture of offering dombaegi for ancestral rites, something that dates back as far as 1,500 years ago. Through its various illustrations and easy-to-read text, readers can gain a better understanding of this subject. There are also six informative articles in this book, including an essay

by Professor Choi Yoon of Kunsan National University’s Department of Marine Life and Aquaculture, who is widely regarded as the preeminent expert on shark research in Korea.

NOVEMBER 24, 2015 – JANUARY 24, 2016 BUYEO NATIONAL MUSEUM

BUDDHIST CULTURAL EXCHANGES OF BAEKJE: JEONGNIMSA AND YONGNINGSI by the editorial team

Title A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea ISBN 978-89-93773-42-2 Pages 196 Size 290.0 × 220.0 cm Published September 18, 2015 Language Korean Price KRW 20,000 (approx. $18)

T

he Buyeo National Museum held a special exhibition called the Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi that highlighted the achievements of three excavations of the entire Jeongnimsa Temple, which was conducted from 1942 to the present day. This exhibition was meaningful in many aspects. First, it was a cultural exchange exhibition with China’s Luoyang Museum that provided 40 clay figures and six roof tiles. This is the result of a continuous friendly relationship between the Buyeo National Museum and the Luo-

yang Museum. In addition, the exhibition celebrated the fact that the Baekje Historic Areas, including Jeongnimsa Temple Site, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015. The concept of the exhibition does not just introduce the Jeongnimsa Temple Site but also deals with the role and symbolism that Jeongnimsa Temple had in the history of Buddhist cultural exchanges in East Asia long ago.

The exhibition was divided into three parts. Part I, “Jeongnimsa at the Center of Capital City, Sabi” examined the role and function of Jeongnimsa, which was

located in Sabi(Buyeo’s former name) after Baekje 18 BCE–660 CE moved its capital to there. Fujisawa Kazuo’s Daily Excavation Record, which was first on display at this exhibition, recorded that the first day of excavating the Jeongnimsa Temple Site was September 28, 1942. Roof Tile with an Inscription in Chinese 大平八年戊辰定林寺大藏當草 was also discovered on the 30th of the same month. The daily excavation record shows the reason how once the nameless temple site came to be called Jeongnimsa. The phrase inscribed on the roof tile means “The roof tile that was made in the

28

rnm exhibition 2

ber of shark bones have been excavated from tombs in Imdang-dong, Gyeongsan. For this exhibition, and for the very first time, the Daegu National Museum restored shark bones found in the additional coffin of Tomb No. E I-1 at Joyeongdong, as well as those found in historic remains in Imdang site. While this excavation work was being done, it was also confirmed for the first time that people buried shark meat after cutting the shark with a knife. This supports the idea that the tradition of using dombaegi as an important offering for the dead may go back as far as 1,500 years ago.

Part 4, “Shark Skin and Decorations,” displayed wooden furniture and craftworks decorated with shark skin. This particular shark was called gyo-eo or sa-eo (sand fish) in old documents. The dried

Two-Tiered Chest, Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl and Turtle Shell The Latter part of Joseon Dynasty 77 × 41 × 126.5 cm Indang Museum of Daegu Health College

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

shark skin was tougher than other animal skins and had a coarse texture with unique bump patterns. Thus, it was used for craftworks and various small tools.

As seen in works such as Glasses Cases, The Lacquered Cabinet and Two-Tiered Chest, wooden furniture and craftworks decorated with shark skin appear quite luxurious and elaborate. That is why historians now claim that these objects were used by a small number of people with a very high social status. Furthermore, sharks represented the highest level of marine predator organisms and were symbolically known as the “king of fish.”

For that reason shark skin was also used for boxes that contained royal seals—the symbol of the king’s authority—and a number of decorated swords used by the royal family.

29

PUBLICATION

The book for this special exhibition introduces a variety of Korean cultural heritage objects related to sharks. It also goes into detail about the culture of offering dombaegi for ancestral rites, something that dates back as far as 1,500 years ago. Through its various illustrations and easy-to-read text, readers can gain a better understanding of this subject. There are also six informative articles in this book, including an essay

by Professor Choi Yoon of Kunsan National University’s Department of Marine Life and Aquaculture, who is widely regarded as the preeminent expert on shark research in Korea.

NOVEMBER 24, 2015 – JANUARY 24, 2016 BUYEO NATIONAL MUSEUM

BUDDHIST CULTURAL EXCHANGES OF BAEKJE: JEONGNIMSA AND YONGNINGSI by the editorial team

Title A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea ISBN 978-89-93773-42-2 Pages 196 Size 290.0 × 220.0 cm Published September 18, 2015 Language Korean Price KRW 20,000 (approx. $18)

T

he Buyeo National Museum held a special exhibition called the Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi that highlighted the achievements of three excavations of the entire Jeongnimsa Temple, which was conducted from 1942 to the present day. This exhibition was meaningful in many aspects. First, it was a cultural exchange exhibition with China’s Luoyang Museum that provided 40 clay figures and six roof tiles. This is the result of a continuous friendly relationship between the Buyeo National Museum and the Luo-

yang Museum. In addition, the exhibition celebrated the fact that the Baekje Historic Areas, including Jeongnimsa Temple Site, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015. The concept of the exhibition does not just introduce the Jeongnimsa Temple Site but also deals with the role and symbolism that Jeongnimsa Temple had in the history of Buddhist cultural exchanges in East Asia long ago.

The exhibition was divided into three parts. Part I, “Jeongnimsa at the Center of Capital City, Sabi” examined the role and function of Jeongnimsa, which was

located in Sabi(Buyeo’s former name) after Baekje 18 BCE–660 CE moved its capital to there. Fujisawa Kazuo’s Daily Excavation Record, which was first on display at this exhibition, recorded that the first day of excavating the Jeongnimsa Temple Site was September 28, 1942. Roof Tile with an Inscription in Chinese 大平八年戊辰定林寺大藏當草 was also discovered on the 30th of the same month. The daily excavation record shows the reason how once the nameless temple site came to be called Jeongnimsa. The phrase inscribed on the roof tile means “The roof tile that was made in the

30

rnm exhibition 3

Terracotta Head of a Buddha Statue Northern Wei H. 24.5 cm Excavated from Yongningsi, Luoyang [008911 分1396] Luoyang Museum

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

year of Mujin, in the 8th year of King Daepyeong, and used for the building where the Tripitaka is stored.”

Theories mainly say that Jeongnimsa Temple was founded in the 6th or 7th century, but the exact time is still uncertain.

Part I of this exhibition showed a variety of artifacts that allowed people to visualize the time period when Jeongnimsa Temple was founded. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period of China, emperors encouraged Buddhism as their ruling ideology in order to make their dynasties rich and powerful. They also constructed many Buddhist temples and pagodas. Presumably, King Seong r.523–554 of Baekje established Jeongnimsa Temple for a similar purpose when he moved the capital to Sabi. Shards of Celadon Jar with Lotus Design and other artifacts produced during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period were excavated from Jeongnimsa Temple Site and support the hypothesis about the time of the temple’s establishment.

Part II, “Jeongnimsa, the Symbol of Baekje’s Exchanges of Buddhist Culture,” let visitors comparatively appreciate clay

figures from Jeongnimsa Temple and those from Yongningsi, which are part of the Luoyang Museum’s collection. They could examine the purposes of the clay figures and their characteristics due to the time periods. Furthermore, clay figures from Silla and Goguryeo were also displayed and enabled visitors to guess the route that East Asia’s Buddhist culture was spread. At Yongningsi, which was a royal temple of the Northern Wei, roughly 1,560 clay figures were discovered and centered around the site of a wooden pagoda. According to the restoration plan, the nine-story wooden pagoda at the center of Yongningsi had a niche for Buddha statues on the east, west, and south walls of each story, with each niche featuring clay figures. At Jeongnimsa Temple, over 200 shards of clay figures were discovered in a pit for roof tile waste. It is possible that before the stone pagoda that remains today in the Jeongnimsa Temple Site was built there, might have been a wooden pagoda. Furthermore, it is believed that the walls between the four pillars around the central foundation of the wooden pagoda were decorated with clay

figures. Clay figures from Baekje’s Jeongnimsa Temple and those from the Northern Wei’s Yongningsi were symmetrically placed on the central wall of Part II of the exhibition venue. In fact, they look so similar in their forms as to be considered as artifacts excavated at the same place of the same time period. This paradoxically shows the period when Jeongnimsa Temple was constructed and leads one to believe that the clay figure culture was spread to Baekje from the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. Although the head of the statue is damaged, in Terracotta Statue Having Servants, which was excavated from the Jeongnimsa Temple Site, the central figure spreading his arms surrounded by his servants looks similar to the appearance of the emperor in the Tang Dynasty’s painter Yan Liben’s Painting of Tribute Mission to the Son of Heaven.王會圖 Through this, we can imagine that the character of this terracotta statue might have been Baekje’s King Seong, who was parading to a Buddhist service with his servants. Later, Baekje then singlehandedly developed a culture of clay figures and invented the method of pro-

Terracotta Statues Wearing a Long Crown Baekje H. 6.6 cm Excavated from Jeongnimsa, Buyeo [BY3274] Buyeo National Museum

31

ducing large-sized clay statues of the Buddha and spread it to Silla.

Part 3, “Jeongnimsa, the Story after Baekje,” showed all 16 pieces of Rubbed Copy of Epitaph on the Monument “Daedangpyeong Baekje-guk” to visitors. This epitaph was inscribed by Tang Dynasty General Su Dingfang in celebration of his victory after the Silla-Tang coalition, that defeated Baekje in 660. To date, this inscription has not been exposed to reveal the defeat of Baekje. When considering the content of this inscription, this exhibition paradoxically implies that the nation of Baekje had a developed society. It also implies that the Five-story Stone Pagoda at the Jeongnimsa Temple Site with this epitaph was very important to people living in Sabi. Jeongnimsa survived as a Buddhist temple during the Goryeo Dynasty,918–1392 too. Roof Tile with Inscription, which was excavated from the site, lets people assume that the building that housed the Tripitaka (although it was a duplicate) was inside Jeongnimsa Temple. As such, we can see that Jeongnimsa Temple had a great significance also during the Goryeo Dynasty.

Terracotta Statue Wearing a Long Crown Northern Wei H. 8.0 cm Excavated from Yongningsi, Luoyang [008920 分1402](1) Luoyang Museum

PUBLICATION

The catalogue of this special exhibition analyzes the status of Jeongnimsa Temple and the management of it from the Baekje Kingdom to the Goryeo Dynasty in detail. Also, in order to learn about the role that Jeongnimsa Temple played in Buddhist cultural exchanges in East Asia, clay figures from Jeongnimsa Temple and those from Yongningsi housed

by China’s Luoyang Museum are comparatively shown.

Title Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi ISBN 979-11-86567-03-6 Pages 268 Size 280.0 × 220.0 cm Language Korean, Chinese (partly in English) Published November 22, 2015 Price Not for sale

30

rnm exhibition 3

Terracotta Head of a Buddha Statue Northern Wei H. 24.5 cm Excavated from Yongningsi, Luoyang [008911 分1396] Luoyang Museum

nmk 2016 winter | from the gallery

year of Mujin, in the 8th year of King Daepyeong, and used for the building where the Tripitaka is stored.”

Theories mainly say that Jeongnimsa Temple was founded in the 6th or 7th century, but the exact time is still uncertain.

Part I of this exhibition showed a variety of artifacts that allowed people to visualize the time period when Jeongnimsa Temple was founded. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period of China, emperors encouraged Buddhism as their ruling ideology in order to make their dynasties rich and powerful. They also constructed many Buddhist temples and pagodas. Presumably, King Seong r.523–554 of Baekje established Jeongnimsa Temple for a similar purpose when he moved the capital to Sabi. Shards of Celadon Jar with Lotus Design and other artifacts produced during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period were excavated from Jeongnimsa Temple Site and support the hypothesis about the time of the temple’s establishment.

Part II, “Jeongnimsa, the Symbol of Baekje’s Exchanges of Buddhist Culture,” let visitors comparatively appreciate clay

figures from Jeongnimsa Temple and those from Yongningsi, which are part of the Luoyang Museum’s collection. They could examine the purposes of the clay figures and their characteristics due to the time periods. Furthermore, clay figures from Silla and Goguryeo were also displayed and enabled visitors to guess the route that East Asia’s Buddhist culture was spread. At Yongningsi, which was a royal temple of the Northern Wei, roughly 1,560 clay figures were discovered and centered around the site of a wooden pagoda. According to the restoration plan, the nine-story wooden pagoda at the center of Yongningsi had a niche for Buddha statues on the east, west, and south walls of each story, with each niche featuring clay figures. At Jeongnimsa Temple, over 200 shards of clay figures were discovered in a pit for roof tile waste. It is possible that before the stone pagoda that remains today in the Jeongnimsa Temple Site was built there, might have been a wooden pagoda. Furthermore, it is believed that the walls between the four pillars around the central foundation of the wooden pagoda were decorated with clay

figures. Clay figures from Baekje’s Jeongnimsa Temple and those from the Northern Wei’s Yongningsi were symmetrically placed on the central wall of Part II of the exhibition venue. In fact, they look so similar in their forms as to be considered as artifacts excavated at the same place of the same time period. This paradoxically shows the period when Jeongnimsa Temple was constructed and leads one to believe that the clay figure culture was spread to Baekje from the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. Although the head of the statue is damaged, in Terracotta Statue Having Servants, which was excavated from the Jeongnimsa Temple Site, the central figure spreading his arms surrounded by his servants looks similar to the appearance of the emperor in the Tang Dynasty’s painter Yan Liben’s Painting of Tribute Mission to the Son of Heaven.王會圖 Through this, we can imagine that the character of this terracotta statue might have been Baekje’s King Seong, who was parading to a Buddhist service with his servants. Later, Baekje then singlehandedly developed a culture of clay figures and invented the method of pro-

Terracotta Statues Wearing a Long Crown Baekje H. 6.6 cm Excavated from Jeongnimsa, Buyeo [BY3274] Buyeo National Museum

31

ducing large-sized clay statues of the Buddha and spread it to Silla.

Part 3, “Jeongnimsa, the Story after Baekje,” showed all 16 pieces of Rubbed Copy of Epitaph on the Monument “Daedangpyeong Baekje-guk” to visitors. This epitaph was inscribed by Tang Dynasty General Su Dingfang in celebration of his victory after the Silla-Tang coalition, that defeated Baekje in 660. To date, this inscription has not been exposed to reveal the defeat of Baekje. When considering the content of this inscription, this exhibition paradoxically implies that the nation of Baekje had a developed society. It also implies that the Five-story Stone Pagoda at the Jeongnimsa Temple Site with this epitaph was very important to people living in Sabi. Jeongnimsa survived as a Buddhist temple during the Goryeo Dynasty,918–1392 too. Roof Tile with Inscription, which was excavated from the site, lets people assume that the building that housed the Tripitaka (although it was a duplicate) was inside Jeongnimsa Temple. As such, we can see that Jeongnimsa Temple had a great significance also during the Goryeo Dynasty.

Terracotta Statue Wearing a Long Crown Northern Wei H. 8.0 cm Excavated from Yongningsi, Luoyang [008920 分1402](1) Luoyang Museum

PUBLICATION

The catalogue of this special exhibition analyzes the status of Jeongnimsa Temple and the management of it from the Baekje Kingdom to the Goryeo Dynasty in detail. Also, in order to learn about the role that Jeongnimsa Temple played in Buddhist cultural exchanges in East Asia, clay figures from Jeongnimsa Temple and those from Yongningsi housed

by China’s Luoyang Museum are comparatively shown.

Title Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi ISBN 979-11-86567-03-6 Pages 268 Size 280.0 × 220.0 cm Language Korean, Chinese (partly in English) Published November 22, 2015 Price Not for sale

32

behind the exhibit

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

Before the conservation of The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks

33

After the conservation of The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks

A conservator treats a painting of Joseon Dynasty.

Conservation of Paintings and Calligraphy by the editorial team

CHARACTERISTICS OF PAINTINGS AND CALLIGRAPHY AND CAUSES OF DAMAGE Seohwa is a term that refers to paintings and calligraphy produced with ink or pigment on surfaces of paper, silk, hemp or other materials. It is a category that includes paintings, old documents, old books, and Buddhist sutras. In light of their materials, paintings and calligraphy are comparatively easily damaged depending on their preservation environment and method of handling, and once damaged they are almost impossible to restore to original condition. Handling paintings and calligraphy, therefore, requires the utmost care, and it is important to understand risk factors beforehand.

The causes of damage can be divided into two types: preservation environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and microbes, and human-induced factors. Korean traditional paintings and calligraphy are mounted first by pasting on one or more layers of lining paper to strengthen the cultural property and then decorating it with silk borders. Mounted and decorated in this way, the cultural property is then given form as either hanging scrolls or hand scrolls. Scrolls, however, are structurally prone to damage as the repeated rolling and unrolling causes the surface to crease. In most cases, damage comes from the combined factors.

CONSERVATION FAITHFUL TO RECOVERY OF BALANCE AND ORIGINAL FORM The conservation and restoration of paintings and calligraphy first deduces how the artist produced the work, then follows the process backwards. The method of restoration of paintings is different between East and West, the difference arising from the techniques and materials used to make the work of art. Indeed, there is a difference in the concept of conservation. In the East, Chinese ink line is considered most important and in the West the planes. So with Western paintings, when part of the painting is torn or damaged, that part is repainted or retouched. But with Asian paintings, the damaged part is treated to prevent any further harm, but the Chinese ink line is never repainted.

The first step in the conservation process is observation and examination of the cultural property. Using a microscope, X-rays, and infra-red rays, the cultural property can be closely examined to ascertain its real condition, invisible to the naked eye. Next, a conservation treatment plan is drawn up. The most appropriate method of conservation is applied based on the cause and level of damage, the base material (silk, ramie, cotton etc.), and the composition of the pigments. Then, following the conservation plan, the original work is taken apart to begin repairs. When repair work is completed, the mounting is restored to its original form. This whole process takes one to two years.

Unlike the conservation process for other cultural properties, from start to finish no machines or chemicals are used in the treatment of paintings and calligraphy; everything is done by human hands. In addition, the materials used in the process such as paper, pigments, natural starch paste and silk are made to order in the traditional method in traditional workshops. This is intended to reduce any visual discrepancy between the original materials and the new, but more importantly to minimize the difference in the properties of the materials used at the time of

production and the modern materials used for conservation.

If materials of differing tensile force and density are used in the restoration of paintings and calligraphy, the cultural properties lose balance and end up warping and twisting. Hence, the most important factor in the conservation of paintings and calligraphy is maintaining balance.

40 YEARS OF CONSERVATION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA The conservation of paintings and calligraphy at the NMK has a history of 40 years. In the early years, outside experts were brought in, but currently the museum’s Paintings and Calligraphy Conservation Team is staffed by six people including curators in the relevant field, and since 13 years ago has been handling inhouse the restoration and conservation of the museum’s paintings and calligraphy cultural properties. As a result, the paintings used only in the royal court and not well known among the public, such as The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks and Heavenly Peaches were successfully restored and displayed in the exhibition Taoist Culture in Korea: The Road to Happiness held in 2013.

Conservation science at the National Museum of Korea has now racked up a history of 40 years, while it has been 15 years since the first related university department was established. Yet the public is still unfamiliar with the field of conservation science.

So on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of conservation science at the museum, the NMK is planning to hold a special exhibition that sheds light on the history and techniques of conservation science in Korea, and the major achievements over the years. By widely publicizing the value and importance of conservation work to gain public interest and recognition, greater achievements will be possible in the future.

32

behind the exhibit

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

Before the conservation of The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks

33

After the conservation of The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks

A conservator treats a painting of Joseon Dynasty.

Conservation of Paintings and Calligraphy by the editorial team

CHARACTERISTICS OF PAINTINGS AND CALLIGRAPHY AND CAUSES OF DAMAGE Seohwa is a term that refers to paintings and calligraphy produced with ink or pigment on surfaces of paper, silk, hemp or other materials. It is a category that includes paintings, old documents, old books, and Buddhist sutras. In light of their materials, paintings and calligraphy are comparatively easily damaged depending on their preservation environment and method of handling, and once damaged they are almost impossible to restore to original condition. Handling paintings and calligraphy, therefore, requires the utmost care, and it is important to understand risk factors beforehand.

The causes of damage can be divided into two types: preservation environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and microbes, and human-induced factors. Korean traditional paintings and calligraphy are mounted first by pasting on one or more layers of lining paper to strengthen the cultural property and then decorating it with silk borders. Mounted and decorated in this way, the cultural property is then given form as either hanging scrolls or hand scrolls. Scrolls, however, are structurally prone to damage as the repeated rolling and unrolling causes the surface to crease. In most cases, damage comes from the combined factors.

CONSERVATION FAITHFUL TO RECOVERY OF BALANCE AND ORIGINAL FORM The conservation and restoration of paintings and calligraphy first deduces how the artist produced the work, then follows the process backwards. The method of restoration of paintings is different between East and West, the difference arising from the techniques and materials used to make the work of art. Indeed, there is a difference in the concept of conservation. In the East, Chinese ink line is considered most important and in the West the planes. So with Western paintings, when part of the painting is torn or damaged, that part is repainted or retouched. But with Asian paintings, the damaged part is treated to prevent any further harm, but the Chinese ink line is never repainted.

The first step in the conservation process is observation and examination of the cultural property. Using a microscope, X-rays, and infra-red rays, the cultural property can be closely examined to ascertain its real condition, invisible to the naked eye. Next, a conservation treatment plan is drawn up. The most appropriate method of conservation is applied based on the cause and level of damage, the base material (silk, ramie, cotton etc.), and the composition of the pigments. Then, following the conservation plan, the original work is taken apart to begin repairs. When repair work is completed, the mounting is restored to its original form. This whole process takes one to two years.

Unlike the conservation process for other cultural properties, from start to finish no machines or chemicals are used in the treatment of paintings and calligraphy; everything is done by human hands. In addition, the materials used in the process such as paper, pigments, natural starch paste and silk are made to order in the traditional method in traditional workshops. This is intended to reduce any visual discrepancy between the original materials and the new, but more importantly to minimize the difference in the properties of the materials used at the time of

production and the modern materials used for conservation.

If materials of differing tensile force and density are used in the restoration of paintings and calligraphy, the cultural properties lose balance and end up warping and twisting. Hence, the most important factor in the conservation of paintings and calligraphy is maintaining balance.

40 YEARS OF CONSERVATION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA The conservation of paintings and calligraphy at the NMK has a history of 40 years. In the early years, outside experts were brought in, but currently the museum’s Paintings and Calligraphy Conservation Team is staffed by six people including curators in the relevant field, and since 13 years ago has been handling inhouse the restoration and conservation of the museum’s paintings and calligraphy cultural properties. As a result, the paintings used only in the royal court and not well known among the public, such as The Sun, Moon and Five Peaks and Heavenly Peaches were successfully restored and displayed in the exhibition Taoist Culture in Korea: The Road to Happiness held in 2013.

Conservation science at the National Museum of Korea has now racked up a history of 40 years, while it has been 15 years since the first related university department was established. Yet the public is still unfamiliar with the field of conservation science.

So on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of conservation science at the museum, the NMK is planning to hold a special exhibition that sheds light on the history and techniques of conservation science in Korea, and the major achievements over the years. By widely publicizing the value and importance of conservation work to gain public interest and recognition, greater achievements will be possible in the future.

34

education

Outdoor Tour Program: Walking in the Autumn Night by the editorial team

The program was designed to discover new aspects of the museum.

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

The National Museum of Korea’s “Walking in the Autumn Night” is an outdoor tour program for adults. The program was first staged on Korea’s monthly Culture Day, September 30, 2015. The first session was enthusiastically welcomed, with over 40 people (the maximum number of participants) who pre-reserved the program. Initially, the event was scheduled three times, for the last Wednesdays of the month from September to November, but two sessions were added for the third Wednesdays of October and November since the program attracted huge interest from the public.

The NMK has various types of guided tour programs for exhibitions, such as “The Smart Curator”, a storytelling exhibition guide accompanied with tablet PCs and “The Museum Masterpiece Guide,” which explores 10 key masterpieces of the museum.

As most of these focus on artifacts inside the museum building, visitors did not have many opportunities to discover outdoor exhibitions in the museum garden. “Walking in the Autumn Night,” on the other hand, is a tour program to allow people to better appreciate artifacts in the outdoor exhibits at the museum, which can be easily passed by.

The program begins at 7 pm, at sunset, when outdoor lighting starts coming on. Visitors who gather at the Open Plaza then move to Mirror Pond. Here, the entire NMK edifice can be seen with Mt. Namsan in the background. This gives people the chance to fully appreciate the architectural wonder of the building, which has a mountain in the back and water in front of it. According to the principles of feng shui, this is considered the ideal placement for a building.

The first outdoor artifact is a dolmen from Maechon-ri, Sancheong, which stands in front of the National Hangeul Museum.

Unlike other dolmens in a table or a go board style—both of which are commonly seen in Korea—this dolmen has a unique form with the boundaries of a grave. There are diverse stone artifacts at Pagoda Garden such as stone lanterns, stone pagodas, and stone Buddha statues, all of which cannot be placed inside the museum because of their large size or the condition of the exhibition halls.

They include National Treasure No. 99 East and West Three-story Stone Pagodas from Galhangsa Temple Site and National Treasure No. 100 Seven-story Stone Pagoda from Namgyewon Temple Site. Visitors can listen to stories about the characteristics of the stone pagodas by time period, purpose of establishment, and the meaning of the characters inscribed upon them as they look around the area with the stone pagodas. After passing Dragon Falls, which is made more beautiful with its fog and lighting at night, visitors can appreciate two standing stone statues of the Buddha before coming upon Korea’s Treasure No. 2 Old Bronze Bell of Bosingak Pavilion. The bell is one of the most familiar artifacts for Koreans because it is struck every New Year’s Eve on TV. The bronze bell was cast in 1468 (the 14th year of the reign of King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty) and was used to ring in the year on New Year’s Eve at Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno-gu, Seoul from 1953 to 1985. It was later moved to the NMK to prevent any further damage to it. The bronze bell currently placed at the Bosingak Pavilion is a newly cast one. When visitors now see the familiar bell at such an unexpected place, they are enamored with its beauty.

As the title “Walking in the Autumn Night” indicates, this program was designed by highlighting the characteristics of an outdoor setting. Instead of formal information, visitors leisurely view the museum garden for an hour, look at 14 artifacts as if they were in a treasure hunt, and discover new aspects of the museum at night while listening to the docent’s guide. At first, many of the people were in their 40s and 50s, but as more sessions were carried out, women in their 20s and 30s, as well as young couples, took part in the tour program. Everyone seemed to be very happy. People mostly welcomed the program because they could appreciate the museum’s outdoor artifacts—many of which they had not been familiar with—and learned about their characteristics by historic time period, while also enjoying the autumn night. Visitors commented on the fact that the program was valuable because it provided useful information and was thoroughly enjoyable.

35

The NMK is now planning its next tour program. Previous visitors have commented that such an educational tour program would also be good for teenagers and students. As a result, the museum will run a guide program on outdoor artifacts for teenagers next spring. The artifacts and educational contents will be reorganized for younger people and the time schedule will also be changed into the daytime. In addition, “Walking in the Autumn Night” for adults will continue next year. Considering the cold weather in November the museum will stage the program mainly in September and October from next year.

The NMK’s outdoor area has much to enjoy, including landscapes that change season to season, outdoor gardens with various flowers and trees, and Cheongjajeong Pavilion, which was built in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Korean museums.

The NMK will continue to be a museum enjoyed by visitors as it plans unique educational programs with numerous artifacts and attractions throughout the museum.

Visitors can listen to stories about artifacts.

Visitors enjoyed the program in spite of cold weather.

34

education

Outdoor Tour Program: Walking in the Autumn Night by the editorial team

The program was designed to discover new aspects of the museum.

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

The National Museum of Korea’s “Walking in the Autumn Night” is an outdoor tour program for adults. The program was first staged on Korea’s monthly Culture Day, September 30, 2015. The first session was enthusiastically welcomed, with over 40 people (the maximum number of participants) who pre-reserved the program. Initially, the event was scheduled three times, for the last Wednesdays of the month from September to November, but two sessions were added for the third Wednesdays of October and November since the program attracted huge interest from the public.

The NMK has various types of guided tour programs for exhibitions, such as “The Smart Curator”, a storytelling exhibition guide accompanied with tablet PCs and “The Museum Masterpiece Guide,” which explores 10 key masterpieces of the museum.

As most of these focus on artifacts inside the museum building, visitors did not have many opportunities to discover outdoor exhibitions in the museum garden. “Walking in the Autumn Night,” on the other hand, is a tour program to allow people to better appreciate artifacts in the outdoor exhibits at the museum, which can be easily passed by.

The program begins at 7 pm, at sunset, when outdoor lighting starts coming on. Visitors who gather at the Open Plaza then move to Mirror Pond. Here, the entire NMK edifice can be seen with Mt. Namsan in the background. This gives people the chance to fully appreciate the architectural wonder of the building, which has a mountain in the back and water in front of it. According to the principles of feng shui, this is considered the ideal placement for a building.

The first outdoor artifact is a dolmen from Maechon-ri, Sancheong, which stands in front of the National Hangeul Museum.

Unlike other dolmens in a table or a go board style—both of which are commonly seen in Korea—this dolmen has a unique form with the boundaries of a grave. There are diverse stone artifacts at Pagoda Garden such as stone lanterns, stone pagodas, and stone Buddha statues, all of which cannot be placed inside the museum because of their large size or the condition of the exhibition halls.

They include National Treasure No. 99 East and West Three-story Stone Pagodas from Galhangsa Temple Site and National Treasure No. 100 Seven-story Stone Pagoda from Namgyewon Temple Site. Visitors can listen to stories about the characteristics of the stone pagodas by time period, purpose of establishment, and the meaning of the characters inscribed upon them as they look around the area with the stone pagodas. After passing Dragon Falls, which is made more beautiful with its fog and lighting at night, visitors can appreciate two standing stone statues of the Buddha before coming upon Korea’s Treasure No. 2 Old Bronze Bell of Bosingak Pavilion. The bell is one of the most familiar artifacts for Koreans because it is struck every New Year’s Eve on TV. The bronze bell was cast in 1468 (the 14th year of the reign of King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty) and was used to ring in the year on New Year’s Eve at Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno-gu, Seoul from 1953 to 1985. It was later moved to the NMK to prevent any further damage to it. The bronze bell currently placed at the Bosingak Pavilion is a newly cast one. When visitors now see the familiar bell at such an unexpected place, they are enamored with its beauty.

As the title “Walking in the Autumn Night” indicates, this program was designed by highlighting the characteristics of an outdoor setting. Instead of formal information, visitors leisurely view the museum garden for an hour, look at 14 artifacts as if they were in a treasure hunt, and discover new aspects of the museum at night while listening to the docent’s guide. At first, many of the people were in their 40s and 50s, but as more sessions were carried out, women in their 20s and 30s, as well as young couples, took part in the tour program. Everyone seemed to be very happy. People mostly welcomed the program because they could appreciate the museum’s outdoor artifacts—many of which they had not been familiar with—and learned about their characteristics by historic time period, while also enjoying the autumn night. Visitors commented on the fact that the program was valuable because it provided useful information and was thoroughly enjoyable.

35

The NMK is now planning its next tour program. Previous visitors have commented that such an educational tour program would also be good for teenagers and students. As a result, the museum will run a guide program on outdoor artifacts for teenagers next spring. The artifacts and educational contents will be reorganized for younger people and the time schedule will also be changed into the daytime. In addition, “Walking in the Autumn Night” for adults will continue next year. Considering the cold weather in November the museum will stage the program mainly in September and October from next year.

The NMK’s outdoor area has much to enjoy, including landscapes that change season to season, outdoor gardens with various flowers and trees, and Cheongjajeong Pavilion, which was built in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Korean museums.

The NMK will continue to be a museum enjoyed by visitors as it plans unique educational programs with numerous artifacts and attractions throughout the museum.

Visitors can listen to stories about artifacts.

Visitors enjoyed the program in spite of cold weather.

36

news

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

37

EXHIBITION

REGULAR REPLACEMENT OF THE PAINTING ROOM AND BUDDHIST PAINTING ROOM Date | October, 2015 Venue | Calligraphy and Painting Gallery The National Museum of Korea entirely changed its artworks of Painting Room and Buddhist Painting Room in October 2015.

The NMK selelcted major works from the museum’s collection and changed 116 pieces at the Painting Room (Genre Paintings, Portraits, Landscape Paintings, Paintings of Flowers, Birds and Other Animals, Court Decorative Paintings), as well as 21 pieces at the Buddhist Painting Room to show new artworks to visitors.

In the Portraits Room, Korea’s Treasure No. 1483, Portrait of Yi Chae, is now shown after a three-year absence. Yi Chae was a civil servant in the later Joseon Dynasty. In this painting, Yi Chae’s pupils are so vividly portrayed that they capture the imagination of visitors. In the Landscape Paintings Room, Songdosajangwongyehoedo, a painting that describes a meeting of four people from Songdo (today’s Gaeseong) who passed the national civil servant exam with the highest grades, is noteworthy. In 1772, 160 years later, a descendant of one attendee at the meeting took the initiative in reproducing this painting. The painting recently went through a preservation process to be displayed.

Inside the Paintings of Flowers, Birds and

Other Animals Room, Jang Hanjong’s Eohaedo is most impressive. The painting captures over 60 species of underwater creatures. Jang Hanjong was a painter in the late Joseon Dynasty and is known to have observed specific details—even the scales and skins—of creatures such as gray mullets, crabs, and soft-shelled turtles and to also have painted them exactly the same as the real creatures from his childhood. Eohaedo shows underwater creatures that symbolize longevity and fecundity, which was a popular theme of paintings since the 18th century. At the Court Decorative Paintings Room, the Musinjinchando folding screen, in which a feast is painted, is displayed again after a long absence. The feast was conducted at Changgyeonggung Palace in order to celebrate the 60th birthday of the King Heonjong’s grandmother and the 41st birthday of queen mother in 1848. This painting gives visitors an account of a luxurious royal feast and installations that are described in a threedimensional way.

The Buddhist Painting Room was organized so that visitors can compare the characteristics of Buddhist painting styles by time period in the Joseon Dynasty. The 18th century’s

Painting of Amitabha Buddha Preaching to a Gathering in Paradise and Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings respectively represent Amitabha Buddha in the Buddhist heaven and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who saves people from hell. The bright and colorful tones provide a fresh sentiment to the pictures. On the other hand, the 19th century’s Painting of Amitabha Buddha Preaching to a Gathering in Paradise and Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings show primary colors more clearly. There are also more diverse methods of expression than the 18th century’s paintings. Two portraits of high priests with great wisdom and virtue are also displayed here side by side.

Visitors can feel the strong spirit of Monk Cheongheo (also known as Seosan Daesa) in Portrait of Cheongheo Daesa. Furthermore, we can see the spirit of Monk Hwadam from

his sharp eyes and the way he put Buddist scriptures upon a small table in Portrait of Hwadam Daesa. Painting of Ten Underworld Kings from the Southern Song Dynasty and Painting of Ten Underworld Kings from the Joseon Dynasty allow visitors to see how people recognized the same theme of “hell” according to different time periods and countries.

36

news

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

37

EXHIBITION

REGULAR REPLACEMENT OF THE PAINTING ROOM AND BUDDHIST PAINTING ROOM Date | October, 2015 Venue | Calligraphy and Painting Gallery The National Museum of Korea entirely changed its artworks of Painting Room and Buddhist Painting Room in October 2015.

The NMK selelcted major works from the museum’s collection and changed 116 pieces at the Painting Room (Genre Paintings, Portraits, Landscape Paintings, Paintings of Flowers, Birds and Other Animals, Court Decorative Paintings), as well as 21 pieces at the Buddhist Painting Room to show new artworks to visitors.

In the Portraits Room, Korea’s Treasure No. 1483, Portrait of Yi Chae, is now shown after a three-year absence. Yi Chae was a civil servant in the later Joseon Dynasty. In this painting, Yi Chae’s pupils are so vividly portrayed that they capture the imagination of visitors. In the Landscape Paintings Room, Songdosajangwongyehoedo, a painting that describes a meeting of four people from Songdo (today’s Gaeseong) who passed the national civil servant exam with the highest grades, is noteworthy. In 1772, 160 years later, a descendant of one attendee at the meeting took the initiative in reproducing this painting. The painting recently went through a preservation process to be displayed.

Inside the Paintings of Flowers, Birds and

Other Animals Room, Jang Hanjong’s Eohaedo is most impressive. The painting captures over 60 species of underwater creatures. Jang Hanjong was a painter in the late Joseon Dynasty and is known to have observed specific details—even the scales and skins—of creatures such as gray mullets, crabs, and soft-shelled turtles and to also have painted them exactly the same as the real creatures from his childhood. Eohaedo shows underwater creatures that symbolize longevity and fecundity, which was a popular theme of paintings since the 18th century. At the Court Decorative Paintings Room, the Musinjinchando folding screen, in which a feast is painted, is displayed again after a long absence. The feast was conducted at Changgyeonggung Palace in order to celebrate the 60th birthday of the King Heonjong’s grandmother and the 41st birthday of queen mother in 1848. This painting gives visitors an account of a luxurious royal feast and installations that are described in a threedimensional way.

The Buddhist Painting Room was organized so that visitors can compare the characteristics of Buddhist painting styles by time period in the Joseon Dynasty. The 18th century’s

Painting of Amitabha Buddha Preaching to a Gathering in Paradise and Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings respectively represent Amitabha Buddha in the Buddhist heaven and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who saves people from hell. The bright and colorful tones provide a fresh sentiment to the pictures. On the other hand, the 19th century’s Painting of Amitabha Buddha Preaching to a Gathering in Paradise and Painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Underworld Kings show primary colors more clearly. There are also more diverse methods of expression than the 18th century’s paintings. Two portraits of high priests with great wisdom and virtue are also displayed here side by side.

Visitors can feel the strong spirit of Monk Cheongheo (also known as Seosan Daesa) in Portrait of Cheongheo Daesa. Furthermore, we can see the spirit of Monk Hwadam from

his sharp eyes and the way he put Buddist scriptures upon a small table in Portrait of Hwadam Daesa. Painting of Ten Underworld Kings from the Southern Song Dynasty and Painting of Ten Underworld Kings from the Joseon Dynasty allow visitors to see how people recognized the same theme of “hell” according to different time periods and countries.

38

news

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

39

MISCELLANEOUS

GORYEO CELADON OF SADANG-RI KILN SITE, GANGJIN Date | December 22, 2015 – February 21, 2016 Venue | Thematic Exhibition Gallery

The National Museum of Korea held an exhibition titled Goryeo Celadon of Sadang-ri Kiln Site, Gangjin to introduce a well-known Goryeo celadon producing area in Korea as well as excavated artifacts. The Sadang-ri kiln site in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do is known as a production base of masterpiece Goryeo celadon. The NMK excavated the Goryeo celadon kiln site in Sadang-ri from 1964 to 1977. The musuem was able to raise the status of Goryeo celadon during the process by

making various achievements, including the confirmation of kiln structure and a variety of excavated artifacts. At the same time, the excavation provided an opportunity to examine the luxurious aspect of the Goryeo Dynasty’s architecture and diverse usages of Goryeo celadon. This exhibition has attempted to display the characteristics of Sadang-ri kiln and other interesting forms and patterns found in celadon from Sadang-ri.

PUBLICATION ISBN 978-89-8164-142-9 This catalogue introduces various celadon masterpieces excavated from the Sadang-ri kiln site in Gangjin, where celadon for the Goryeo Dynasty’s royal family was produced. Over 100 photographs of elaborate Goryeo celadon, including the celadon roof tile that provided a clue to the excavation of the Sadang-ri kiln site, are printed in this catalogue, allowing readers to understand the highly advanced aesthetic sense of the era.

SHEDDING NEW LIGHT ON THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT-GENERAL OF KOREA’S MATERIALS Date | November 20, 2015 Venue | The 1st Lecture Room

IN BLUE AND WHITE: PORCELAIN OF THE JOSEON DYNASTY ISBN 978-89-8164-131-3

The National Museum of Korea published In Blue and White: Porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty as part of its project to publish English exhibition books on Korean cultural properties. The museum has been doing this project since 2009. The Joseon Dynasty started to make blue-and-white porcelain around the 15th century, making it the second country to acquire the production technology necessary to do this after China.

On November 20, the National Museum of Korea held a symposium under the theme of “Shedding New Light on the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s Materials.”

This symposium was hosted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Korea’s independence and to share the initial situation and research results of the current project of disclosing the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s materials. The event was divided into two parts and a total of six research papers were presented. Part 1 of the documents dealt with “The Characteristics and Value of the Government-General Musuem’s Archives,” “Exhibitions and Visitors of the GovernmentGeneral Musuem” and “Yasui Seiichi and the Photographing of Historical Remains.” Part 2 presented “Research on Ruined Temple Sites in the Buyeo Area and Archeologists in a Colony,” “The Estimated Production Process of Gold Crown from the Seobongchong Tomb and Proposals for Restoration,” and a “Special Report: The Result of Excavating the Geumgwanchong Tomb, Gyeongju.” This symposium is very significant in that the museum introduces the contents of the project by disclosing the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s materials and at the same time explores the future direction of this project.

The blue-and-white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty was initially based on the Ming Dynasty’s style in formative terms, but unique decorative patterns and compositions were later developed. Despite the foreign influence, blue-and-white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty was characterized by the fact that it reflected the royal family’s standards and tastes through the government kiln system led by the royal family until the late 19th century. This exhibition book contains over 290 pictures on over 340 pages, with detailed commentaries. The NMK hopes that this book will help Joseon blue-and-white porcelain be more widely known to both Koreans and people around the world, along with providing information about Goryeo celadon and Goryeo Buddhist paintings.

38

news

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

39

MISCELLANEOUS

GORYEO CELADON OF SADANG-RI KILN SITE, GANGJIN Date | December 22, 2015 – February 21, 2016 Venue | Thematic Exhibition Gallery

The National Museum of Korea held an exhibition titled Goryeo Celadon of Sadang-ri Kiln Site, Gangjin to introduce a well-known Goryeo celadon producing area in Korea as well as excavated artifacts. The Sadang-ri kiln site in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do is known as a production base of masterpiece Goryeo celadon. The NMK excavated the Goryeo celadon kiln site in Sadang-ri from 1964 to 1977. The musuem was able to raise the status of Goryeo celadon during the process by

making various achievements, including the confirmation of kiln structure and a variety of excavated artifacts. At the same time, the excavation provided an opportunity to examine the luxurious aspect of the Goryeo Dynasty’s architecture and diverse usages of Goryeo celadon. This exhibition has attempted to display the characteristics of Sadang-ri kiln and other interesting forms and patterns found in celadon from Sadang-ri.

PUBLICATION ISBN 978-89-8164-142-9 This catalogue introduces various celadon masterpieces excavated from the Sadang-ri kiln site in Gangjin, where celadon for the Goryeo Dynasty’s royal family was produced. Over 100 photographs of elaborate Goryeo celadon, including the celadon roof tile that provided a clue to the excavation of the Sadang-ri kiln site, are printed in this catalogue, allowing readers to understand the highly advanced aesthetic sense of the era.

SHEDDING NEW LIGHT ON THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT-GENERAL OF KOREA’S MATERIALS Date | November 20, 2015 Venue | The 1st Lecture Room

IN BLUE AND WHITE: PORCELAIN OF THE JOSEON DYNASTY ISBN 978-89-8164-131-3

The National Museum of Korea published In Blue and White: Porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty as part of its project to publish English exhibition books on Korean cultural properties. The museum has been doing this project since 2009. The Joseon Dynasty started to make blue-and-white porcelain around the 15th century, making it the second country to acquire the production technology necessary to do this after China.

On November 20, the National Museum of Korea held a symposium under the theme of “Shedding New Light on the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s Materials.”

This symposium was hosted to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Korea’s independence and to share the initial situation and research results of the current project of disclosing the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s materials. The event was divided into two parts and a total of six research papers were presented. Part 1 of the documents dealt with “The Characteristics and Value of the Government-General Musuem’s Archives,” “Exhibitions and Visitors of the GovernmentGeneral Musuem” and “Yasui Seiichi and the Photographing of Historical Remains.” Part 2 presented “Research on Ruined Temple Sites in the Buyeo Area and Archeologists in a Colony,” “The Estimated Production Process of Gold Crown from the Seobongchong Tomb and Proposals for Restoration,” and a “Special Report: The Result of Excavating the Geumgwanchong Tomb, Gyeongju.” This symposium is very significant in that the museum introduces the contents of the project by disclosing the Japanese Government-General of Korea’s materials and at the same time explores the future direction of this project.

The blue-and-white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty was initially based on the Ming Dynasty’s style in formative terms, but unique decorative patterns and compositions were later developed. Despite the foreign influence, blue-and-white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty was characterized by the fact that it reflected the royal family’s standards and tastes through the government kiln system led by the royal family until the late 19th century. This exhibition book contains over 290 pictures on over 340 pages, with detailed commentaries. The NMK hopes that this book will help Joseon blue-and-white porcelain be more widely known to both Koreans and people around the world, along with providing information about Goryeo celadon and Goryeo Buddhist paintings.

40

new & hidden space

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

3

The Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room In December last year, the National Museum of Korea reopened the Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room on the second floor of the Exhibition Hall by transforming the existing Sarangbang (Scholar’s Studio), the master’s room in an upper-class home of the Joseon Dynasty filled with wooden furniture pieces and scholarly implements. The new display of wood crafts and finely made najeon chilgi (lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl) brings together some 130 varied household items that were used not only in the master’s room (sarangbang) but also the matron’s room (anbang) and the kitchen.

The exhibits in the Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room can be largely divided into wooden furniture and lacquerware. The wooden furniture is further divided into items for the master’s room, matron’s room, and small dining tables called soban, while lacquerware is sub-divided into early Joseon, mid-Joseon, and late Joseon works. Under Confucianism, the ruling ideology of Joseon, most houses had separate living spaces for men and women and the furniture differed accordingly. Elegant lacquered pieces inlaid with mother-of-pearl were mostly found in rooms used by women and included clothing cases, boxes decorated with 1

1 The new Wood and Lacquer Crafts

2

Room is displayed with various kinds of wooden and lacquered artifacts.

2 Small dining table, or soban is one of the characteristic wooden furniture of the Joseon period.

3 Visitors can see lacquerwares from 15th century to later 19th century of the Joseon period.

ox-horn ornament, low headside chests, and clothing chests which were colorful and luxuriously decorated. The master’s room contained scholarly items such as document chests, shelves with three tiers, and reading desks that exhibited a simple, restrained aesthetic.

Traditionally, wooden furniture was only used by the upper-class yangban who had sufficient financial means. In the Joseon period, wooden furniture was generally made to order.

The master of the house sought out a craftsman who would create furniture according to his personal tastes, taking in account the size of the rooms and the arrangement of the furniture in the house. Hence, wooden furniture made by a skilled artisan was not so much a household item as a work of art. The NMK’s collection of wooden furniture and lacquerware contains some of the finest items of any museum in the country.

In the general scheme of art history, the craft genre is comprised of ceramics, metal crafts, and wood crafts. With the museum’s Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room, visitors can explore Korean art history in a more organized way through different genres, along with the existing rooms devoted to ceramics and metal crafts.

40

new & hidden space

nmk 2016 winter | the latest

3

The Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room In December last year, the National Museum of Korea reopened the Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room on the second floor of the Exhibition Hall by transforming the existing Sarangbang (Scholar’s Studio), the master’s room in an upper-class home of the Joseon Dynasty filled with wooden furniture pieces and scholarly implements. The new display of wood crafts and finely made najeon chilgi (lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl) brings together some 130 varied household items that were used not only in the master’s room (sarangbang) but also the matron’s room (anbang) and the kitchen.

The exhibits in the Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room can be largely divided into wooden furniture and lacquerware. The wooden furniture is further divided into items for the master’s room, matron’s room, and small dining tables called soban, while lacquerware is sub-divided into early Joseon, mid-Joseon, and late Joseon works. Under Confucianism, the ruling ideology of Joseon, most houses had separate living spaces for men and women and the furniture differed accordingly. Elegant lacquered pieces inlaid with mother-of-pearl were mostly found in rooms used by women and included clothing cases, boxes decorated with 1

1 The new Wood and Lacquer Crafts

2

Room is displayed with various kinds of wooden and lacquered artifacts.

2 Small dining table, or soban is one of the characteristic wooden furniture of the Joseon period.

3 Visitors can see lacquerwares from 15th century to later 19th century of the Joseon period.

ox-horn ornament, low headside chests, and clothing chests which were colorful and luxuriously decorated. The master’s room contained scholarly items such as document chests, shelves with three tiers, and reading desks that exhibited a simple, restrained aesthetic.

Traditionally, wooden furniture was only used by the upper-class yangban who had sufficient financial means. In the Joseon period, wooden furniture was generally made to order.

The master of the house sought out a craftsman who would create furniture according to his personal tastes, taking in account the size of the rooms and the arrangement of the furniture in the house. Hence, wooden furniture made by a skilled artisan was not so much a household item as a work of art. The NMK’s collection of wooden furniture and lacquerware contains some of the finest items of any museum in the country.

In the general scheme of art history, the craft genre is comprised of ceramics, metal crafts, and wood crafts. With the museum’s Wood and Lacquer Crafts Room, visitors can explore Korean art history in a more organized way through different genres, along with the existing rooms devoted to ceramics and metal crafts.

In 2016, the National Museum of Korea marked the 40th anniversary since it took its first steps toward conservation science.

To celebrate the landmark achievement, a special exhibition on conservation science will be held for the first time in Korea under the title Conservation Science, Saving the Cultural Properties. This exhibition was designed to shed light on everything the NMK has done over the last 40 years for the purpose of conservation science. It was also set up to examine the museum’s activities related to the conservation of cultural properties using modern science.

Roughly 50 artifacts have been selected from among the NMK’s cultural properties for the exhibition. This includes metal, ceramics & earthenware, paintings, and woodcraft artifacts which have been newly restored by the NMK’s Conservation Science Division. The exhibition will also feature conservation science research results such as the production process of Korea’s cultural properties and detailed information about their materials.

Through Conservation Science, Saving the Cultural Properties, visitors can see how the NMK became a leader in the conservation of cultural properties and of conservation science in general throughout Korea. Furthermore, people are able to look at related artifacts and information on conservation science as a whole. Examples of this conservation work include materials and production methods connected to Korean cultural properties as well as information about how the actual work is done.

ISSN: 2005-1123

• curator’s talk Numeric Relations Hidden in “Sehando” • feature exhibition Rubens and Other Masters

• rnm

exhibition 1 The Wuyue Kingdom during the Transitional Period of the Tang and Song Dynasties • rnm

exhibition 2 A Walk into the History of Sharks and Dombaegi (shark meat) of Korea • rnm

exhibition 3 Buddhist Cultural Exchanges of Baekje: Jeongnimsa and Yongningsi

published by the nmk winter 2016

march 8 – may 8, 2016 special exhibition gallery

National Museum of Korea

The Height of Restraint: Pure White Porcelain Moon Jars of the Joseon Dynasty

VOL.34

SAVING THE CULTURAL PROPERTIES

N AT I O N A L M U S E U M O F KO R E A | Q UA R T E R LY M AG A Z I N E

CONSERVATION SCIENCE,

quarterly magazine • special essay