National museum gears up for hosting royal books
Major international masterpieces exhibitions planned
By Chung Ah-young
The National Museum of Korea is preparing to receive royal books from the Oegyjanggak archives, which were looted during an 1866 French incursion. The books will be returned by May.
Choe Kwang-shik, director of the museum and newly appointed head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said that it will take the next step after Korea and France signed an agreement Monday to return the old texts to Seoul on a five-year renewable lease basis.
“We are going to dispatch our delegation to France next month to discuss further developments of the agreement and the return process. We will consult with the National Library of France to come up with detailed plans, including how to exhibit, store and research the relics,” said Choe in a press conference to announce its 2011 lineup of exhibitions.
The director said that 297 ancient books are expected to arrive in Korea between March and May and will be exhibited to the public in July.
“We don’t have exact plans for now but we will hold a grand celebration event in June before holding an exhibition of the books at the museum in July,” he said.
For the lease of the books, the museum is strengthening its research section on the Joseon Kingdom’s royal documents, including royal protocols called “uigwe.” The director said that the museum has excellent preservation techniques, exhibition conditions and research facilities.
The agreement was made after President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the return of the books during the G20 Seoul Summit last November. The two parties have since had follow-up negotiations to work out the details.
The Oegyujanggak books, including the protocols of royal ceremonies and rites from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), were taken by French troops in 1866 when they invaded an island in retaliation for the persecution of French Catholic missionaries. The books have been stored at the National Library of France without being noticed until a Korean professor, Park Byeong-seon, found them wrongly classified as Chinese documents in 1975.
One of the books was returned to Korea on a permanent lease basis in 1993 by then French President Francois Mitterrand.
2011 major exhibitions
Along with the Oegyjanggak books, the museum will hold major large-scale exhibitions throughout the year.
“European Decorative Arts in 1600-1800” (working title) lent by the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in the United Kingdom, “Secret of Portraits” of Korean ancient paintings and “Renaissance Art” from the Vatican Museum are just some of the planned events.
The “European Decorative Arts in 1600-1800” exhibition will highlight some 150 masterpieces often called “Princely Treasures” from the 17th to 18th centuries, including “Madame de Pompadour” by Francois Boucher and a monstrance from 1705, and other important pieces that show the essence of the lives of European royalty. The exhibition will be held from May 3 to Aug. 28 at the Special Exhibition Gallery.
The “Secret of Portraits” exhibition will showcase some 150 pieces of Korea’s representative portraits, which will give an opportunity to compare them with other portraits from China and Japan. The exhibition will include an 18th-century self-portrait of Yun Du-seo (1668-1715), National Treasure No. 240, and a portrait of An Hyang (1243-1306), National Treasure No. 111, which show the spiritual world of the models. The exhibition is open from Sept. 27 to Nov. 6.
Also, the “Renaissance Art” exhibition is not to be missed as it is the first of its kind to introduce Christian art focusing on the Renaissance period. The event will display some 150 pieces of paintings and sculptures, such as “The Madonna of Foglino” by Raphael and “Descent from the Cross” by Caravaggio. The exhibition will take place from Dec. 6 to April 1 in 2012.
The museum will feature the “Korean Musical Instruments” exhibition in association with the National Gugak Center from May 10 to June 26. The event will present historical musical instruments dating back from the prehistory era to the Joseon Kingdom along with sideline performances of Korean traditional music.
As part of efforts to boost international exchange, the museum is planning to hold an exhibition of “Splendid Treasures: Korean Metal Crafts” at the Powerhouse Museum in Australia from October to December. It is also part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries under the theme “Australia-Korea Year of Friendship.” The museum will present some 140 metal craftworks, including the Silla gold crown excavated from the Geumgwanchong (The Gold Crown Tomb), ranging from the Three Kingdoms, Goryeo Kingdom and Joseon Kingdom to the present.
Cho Hyun-jong, chief of the curatorial affairs of the museum, said that it is an important move in Australia in which Korean culture is less known compared to that of China and Japan.
“It will be a very meaningful step toward promoting Korean culture in the country. Through this occasion, we can help Australians and Koreans living there better appreciate Korean heritage,” he said.
Along with the abundant exhibitions, the museum will also digitalize its contents. “We will develop applications that can function on a variety of formats, such as iPhones or devices powered by Google’s Android operating system to help users freely see images on the go,” Choe said.
The museum celebrated attracting some 3 million visitors last year, which ranked it eighth in the world in terms of the number of visitors.
“Now, we are going to step up efforts to promote other national museums in provincial areas,” the director said.