Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
When Joseon was young: Art from kingdom's early centuries shines anew
The National Museum of Korea's new exhibition, "Art of Early Joseon: Masterpieces from the 15th and 16th Century," spotlights the artistic spirit that blossomed in the first two centuries of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. Yonhap
By Park Han-sol
In 1392, Yi Seong-gye founded the Joseon Dynasty, which would become perhaps the most prominent kingdom in Korean history, lasting for over five centuries.
The dawn of this era ushered in sweeping transformations, shaped by the ideals and aesthetics of the new neo-Confucian state. Among the most profound of these shifts unfolded in the realm of art.
The luminous blue-green celadon of the 918-1392 Goryeo Dynasty gave way to the earthy elegance of "buncheong" stoneware and the serene purity of white porcelain. Scholar-officials painted ethereal visions of ideal worlds in ink-wash landscapes. And though Confucianism served as the kingdom’s guiding philosophy, both royals and commoners continued to turn to Buddhist art, seeking solace in its enduring spiritual power.
It is the artistic spirit that bloomed in the first two centuries of Joseon to which the National Museum of Korea (NMK) now turns in a new exhibition in Seoul.
“White and inky black are often regarded as merely achromatic, but in the Joseon era, an entirely new kind of art was born from these very tones — a testament to its extraordinary dynamism,” Kim Hae-won, head of the museum’s fine arts division, said during a recent press preview.
The NMK's "Art of Early Joseon" is a remarkable exhibit both in its breadth and rarity. Newsis
According to the museum, the art of early Joseon remains relatively little known to the public, especially when compared to the more familiar works of the kingdom's later years. This is due in large part to the limited number of surviving pieces and to the reality that many of its most significant works lie scattered in collections overseas.
For this reason, the NMK’s “Art of Early Joseon: Masterpieces from the 15th and 16th Century” is remarkable both in its breadth and rarity.
Nearly 700 works, encompassing ceramics, calligraphy, paintings and Buddhist sculptures, grace the show. There are 79 state-designated treasures included, as well as 23 pieces drawn from international collections, brought to Korea and placed before the public eye for the very first time.
The 16th-century "Landscapes Ever Changing through the Seasons," on loan from Japan’s Mori Museum, was long believed to be a Chinese work, but in recent decades, scholars reattributed it to a Joseon court painter, recognizing distinctly Korean architectural features. Newsis
The number of rare pieces makes it almost impossible to select highlights, but among them is “Eight Views of the Four Seasons,” a 15th-century masterpiece attributed to An Gyeon (dates unknown). His ink painting offers a lyrical journey through nature’s shifting moods of lush spring, stormy summer, bountiful autumn and cold winter.
An was a towering influence, known for a style that conveyed the vastness of nature and the quiet humility of the human presence within it. In his landscapes, the grandeur of mountains and rivers dwarfs the tiny human figures — a defining hallmark of his school of painting.
The 16th-century “Landscapes Ever Changing through the Seasons,” on loan from Japan’s Mori Museum, was long believed to be a Chinese work. Two decades ago, scholars reattributed it to a Joseon court painter, recognizing distinctly Korean architectural features in the buildings nestled beneath towering mountain backdrops. With this exhibition, the painting makes its long-awaited homecoming.
A 15th-century wooden seated Buddha, ordinarily enshrined at Jogye Temple in Seoul, is on view at the National Museum of Korea only until June 22. Yonhap
Also dazzling the eye is a 15th-century wooden seated Buddha, ordinarily enshrined at Jogye Temple in downtown Seoul. Reflecting the influence of Tibetan Buddhist art, introduced to Korea through China's Ming Dynasty, the sculpture left its temple home for the first time, and is on view at the museum only until June 22.
The show concludes with a crowning jewel: the Haerye edition of “Hunminjeongeum,” widely considered the most emblematic work of early Joseon. This treasured volume provides a detailed exposition of the principles behind Hangeul, the Korean alphabet promulgated by King Sejong in 1443. Its preface was penned by the king himself.
“Art of Early Joseon” runs through Aug. 31 at the NMK.
The exhibition concludes with the Haerye edition of "Hunminjeongeum," providing a detailed exposition of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet invented by King Sejong in 1443. Yonhap