PATTERNS SYMBOLISM IN KOREAN ART. In a previous publication METALWORK PATTERNS ON KOREAN FURNITURE, we listed the various decorative motifs on the hinges of Korean furniture. Below, we examine their meanings. Decorative patterns play a significant role in Korean traditional art for several reasons: Cultural Symbolism: Many decorative patterns in Korean art are deeply rooted […]
The furniture illustrations in this chapter come from the collections of selected Korean museums. Most of the pieces date from the late Joseon dynasty, specifically from the late 18th and 19th centuries. The study is relatively complex, given the limited amount of information available on the subject. Our deductions are based on the analysis of […]
Analyzing the evolution of Korean furniture shapes during the Joseon dynasty is no easy task, given the lack of documentation and pieces available today.However, the study of a large number of photos from various Korean museums allows us to make the following observations:In Asia, in general, and unlike European furniture, emperors did not impose new […]
This small piece of furniture is rarely described in publications, both in Korea and abroad. It is quite special, and we thought it would be interesting to present it. Hardly ever found in specialized galleries or at auctions, our observations are based on photographic documents from private collections or museums in Korea. Often finely executed, […]
AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE JOSEON DYNASTY. Joseon 조선 in Korean, 朝鮮 in Hanja, or Chosŏn, officially Great Joseon State (대조선국; 大朝鮮國, was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong. […]
Mother-of-pearl, also known as nacre, is an inorganic composite material produced by certain mollusks as an inner shell layer, and accumulated in other shells, such as freshwater pearl mussels, in the form of pearls. It is very strong, resilient, and iridescent. It can be found in strains of mollusks in the class of “Bivalvia“, such as […]
This brief history of traditional Korean furniture aims to address common questions about its origins and the limited availability of antique pieces in the market. Feature photo at the top of this post: A painting by Shin Yun-bok, who was born around 1758 and passed away after 1813. He was a Korean painter known by […]
A wardrobe chest (Kwanbok-Jang or Uigori-Jang) has much larger doors than any other type of Jang. This type of wardrobe illustrates the end of the “Hermit Kingdom,” as Korea was known for its isolation. Towards the end of the 19th century and the emergence of economic industrialization, Korea opened its borders, and some Western influence […]