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NMK News & Publication

from National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.43

by National Museum of Korea

from National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.43, page 35

Article from: National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.43

Museum Scene: A stone tiger

NEWS

Return of Goryeo Bronze Buddhist Niche

The National Museum of Korea acquired a Goryeo period bronze Buddhist niche donated by the Young Friends of the Museum (YFM), an organization of young people affiliated with the Friends of the National Museum of Korea (FNMK). The small, portable niche made of bronze was used for worship in places other than the temple. Such small metal niches, sometimes found enshrined in pagodas, were mainly produced between the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods. Around 15 examples remain extant.

Portable Buddhist niches can be divided into two kinds: the pavilion-shaped niche consisting of square casket with roof-shaped lid and the square casket niche without a lid. The bronze Buddhist niche obtained by the YFM from an antique shop in Japan is of the latter type, which is rare among the extant examples. The niche is estimated to have been produced in the late 14th century during the Goryeo Dynasty, which makes it all the more valuable.

The most outstanding feature of the niche is the scene of Shakyamuni preaching, depicted on the inside using the repousse technique. The doors of the niche, decorated with images of Vajrapani, open onto the scene of Buddha preaching a sermon, created on a thin sheet of metal attached to the back of the casket. Shakyamuni sits in the center flanked by attendant bodhisattvas and surrounded by ten arhats and the eight classes of dharma protectors. As the only bronze Buddhist niche from the Goryeo period decorated with the eight classes of dharma protectors, it is a valuable item showing the origin of paintings of the Assembly on Vulture Peak, called Yeongsanhoesangdo, that were popular during the latter half of the Joseon Dynasty. The figure of Avalokiteshvara that was handed down with the niche shares many stylistic elements with the small bronze figures from the Goryeo period that were made under the influence of Chinese Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Judging from the fixtures inside and the size of the bodhisattva image, it is presumed that two of such images were originally enshrined in the niche.

Scientific analysis has revealed that the lid, front, back, and doors are made of pure bronze while the bodhisattva is made of silver and plated with gold. The niche is relatively well preserved in its original form, and thus sheds light on the development of metal niches, which first appeared in the Goryeo period. Since a bronze Buddhist niche of this kind can be seen as a miniature version of a temple, it is anticipated that this example will make a valuable contribution to the study of late Goryeo Buddhist art, metal craft techniques, and architectural style. The niche will be shown to the public for the first time in a special exhibition planned for December 2018 at the NMK to mark the 1100th anniversary of the foundation of the Goryeo Dynasty.

Items donation by the FNMK

1989 Celadon Inkstone

2002 Ox-horn Plated Box

2004 White Porcelain Bottle with Peony Scroll Design in Underglaze Cobalt-blue2005 Ten-panel Folding Screen of Roof Tile and Brick Inscriptions by Oh Sechang

2005 Ancient Hieroglyphic Characters “Eo” ( 魚 ; fish), “Cha” ( 車 ; chariot), and “Ju” ( 舟 ; Boat) by Oh Sechang

2006 Phyllite Stele of Vishnu

2007 Mithuna Figure

2008 Gray Schist Figure of a Bodhisattva

2014 Sutra Box Decorated with Inlaid Mother-of-pearl

2018 Bronze Buddhist Niche

Donation by the Friends of the National Museum of Korea

The Young Friends of the Museum (YFM) that donated a bronze Buddhist niche to the National Museum of Korea in January this year is a group affiliated with the Friends of the National Museum of Korea (FNMK) and is comprised of young business leaders who love Korean culture. Through voluntary payment of membership fees and contributions, YFM has been providing support for the diverse programs of the NMK since its foundation in 2008, particularly playing an important role in the donation of cultural artifacts. The Goryeo period bronze Buddhist niche that the group donated was originally in the possession of Ichida Jiro, a doctor in Daegu during the Japanese colonial period and collector of ancient artworks. After Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Ichida Jiro’s family took the niche to Japan, and some 30 years ago it was purchased by an antiques dealer. Upon hearing that the niche was in Japan, the YFM began a fund-raising campaign for its purchase. This donation comes on the 1100th anniversary of the foundation of the Goryeo Dynasty and is especially significant in that the niche, of which the existence was only known through glass dry-plate photographs at the NMK, has returned to Korea.

The FNMK have donated 18 items (58 pieces) on ten occasions to the NMK, beginning with a celadon inkstone in 1989. These continued donations have enhanced the diversity of the museum’s exhibitions and contributed to promoting public interest in making donations and contributions to the museum.

**Ten-panel Folding Screen of Roof Tile and Brick Inscriptions by Oh Sechang**

Tenth Meeting of East Asian National Museum Directors

The tenth meeting of directors of the national museums of Korea, Japan, and China was held in January this year. More than ten years have passed since the establishment of a consultative body, at the suggestion of the National Museum of Korea, consisting of the directors of the national museums— the National Museum of Korea, the Tokyo National Museum, and the National Museum of China—in order to strengthen cooperation, friendship, and exchange among the three countries. Over the years, the three museums have each established foreign language web site services including Korean, Japanese, and Chinese, and carried out exchange in many areas including collection research, personnel exchange, academic publishing, and sharing of information on museum operation and protection of cultural heritage.

At this year’s meeting, the museum directors discussed ways to present online joint exhibitions by the three countries held so far, topics for joint research and academic seminars, and mutual exchange in publishing and museum education programs. In addition, they exchanged views on cooperative projects in various areas such as protection of cultural heritage, cultural marketing strategies, and sharing of UNESCO-related strategy directions.

Oegyujanggak Uigwe Online English Service Begins

From the start of 2018, the National Museum of Korea has been providing English-language service on the Oegyujanggak Uigwe website (www.museum.go.kr/uigwe). Users can now view and search basic materials in English, including an overview of the books called Uigwe, which are records of state events, bibliographic information, details of each book, including illutrations. As most of the Uigwe from the Oegyujanggak (an annex of the royal library established on Ganghwado Island) were viewed by the king, the paper used, covers, script style, and illustrations were of the highest standard, making the records an important cultural treasure representing the highest level of art in East Asia at the time. In addition, four Uigwe copies from the reign of King Yeongjo r. 1724-1776 , 21st monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, are on display on the first floor of the Permanent Exhibition Hall of the NMK. The contents cover Yeongjo’s coronation as crown prince and wedding ceremony and reflect his efforts to strengthen the authority of the throne. Access to the Joseon Dynasty Galleries in the permanent exhibition is free all year round, and the Uigwe on display there are replaced with other Uigwe copies every three months.

Display of the Portrait of Kang No

The Portrait of Kang No was put on display at the NMK in December 2017. Purchased by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation through an American online auction, the painting features Kang No 1809–1886 , great grandson of the famous 18th-century literati painter Kang Sehwang 1713–1791 . The ink inscription reveals that the portrait was painted in 1879 to mark the subject’s 71st birthday. Rare for a 19th-century portrait, the figure is sitting in a chair, depicted realistically while conveying the subject’s noble character and spirit.

The NMK owns the portraits of five of Kang No’s ancestors—Kang Mincheom, Kang Hyeon, Kang Sehwang, Kang In, and Kang Io. With Kang No’s portrait, the portraits of six members of the Eunyeol lineage of the Kang clan from Jinju have been gathered in one place. The NMK is planning an exhibition based on these six paintings to be held in August in the Painting and Calligraphy Gallery.

Tiger Picture Books at the Children’s Museum

To commemorate the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, an exhibition of picture books featuring tigers is under way at the Children’s Museum at the NMK through May 31. The tiger appeared time and time again in old Korean tales, from the myth of Dangun, founder of the Korean nation, and the exhibition has been arranged to show various aspects of the tiger: ferocious beast of prey, foolish beast, and symbol of valor. Children and their parents can take part in a range of activities such as reading picture books, looking at original tiger paintings and craft works, or shaking the bells attached to a tiger’s tail. This tiger-themed exhibition brings together texts and pictures, people and animals, children and adults, and provides a learning experience for the whole family.

PUBLICATION

Permanent Exhibition Catalog

**ISBN Korean 978-89-93518-39-9 / English 978-16-35190-09-0 / Japanese 978-89-93518-48-1 / Chinese 978-89-93518-49-8**

The National Museum of Korea published a revised permanent exhibition catalog last year. The English, Chinese, and Japanese language versions of the catalog were also published at the same time this year, which means the catalog is now available in four languages. The Permanent Exhibition Hall, comprised of six galleries and fifty rooms, houses a vast collection and the catalog will serve as a useful guide for visitors. The book is divided into six sections according to the six galleries: Prehistory and Ancient History, Medieval and Early Modern History, Calligraphy and Painting, Sculpture and Crafts, Asian Arts, and Donated Works. It includes photos of the major works along with detailed explanations. All the explanations were written based on the verification and research by curators specializing in each field.

Scientific Study of Gilt-bronze Pensive Bodhisattva Images from Korea and Japan

This report represents the outcomes of a joint research of the NMK and Osaka University between 2009 and 2012. Besides the traditional approach of analyzing the sculptural style and iconography, scientific analysis was also carried out using cutting-edge equipment. Covering 12 gilt-bronze pensive bodhisattva images preserved in Korea and 31 images in Japan, the report provides an explanation and photographs of each sculpture along with other materials such as analyses of materials, gamma-ray photos, X-ray CT images, and 3Dphotos that will enhance the reader’s understanding of the subject. It also includes three articles written by members of the research team from the NMK and Osaka University to promote new study of the gilt-bronze pensive bodhisattva images.

Korea through Western Eyes

This book contains 75 articles on Korea published in popular newspapers and magazines in the United Kingdom, the United States, and France between the late 19th century and the early20th century. They show how 14 major publications such as the Illustrated London News, Harper’s Weekly, and Le Petit Parisien dealt with major incidents in Korea. The articles are accompanied by photos that vividly convey the situation at the time. This book is the second in the series to cover the Korean Empire period, following the publication of the National Museum of Korea’s Collection of the Korean Empire: Volume I.

Journal of Korean Art and Archaeology Vol. 11

The eleventh volume of the series that presents the latest scholarship in Korean art history and archaeology has been published. The journal aims at sharing information on Korean traditional culture with an international audience. This volume carries four articles on white porcelain of the Joseon Dynasty, which is the topic of focus for this volume. Also included are articles on tombs of the Silla Kingdom, Buddhist temple architecture from the Joseon Dynasty,18th-century portrait painting, and the White Porcelain Cup and Stand with Inlaid Grass and Flower Design and “Taeiljeon” inscription in the NMK collection.

This article is from:

National Museum of Korea: Quarterly Magazine, vol.43

by National Museum of Korea