For this topic I wanted to share something that has a personal interest to me. I am a Korean-American born in the U.S. My great-grandfather was actually a painter from this period. The Korean side of my family was originally from the northern part of the country, but fled during the Korean War to Seoul. Unfortunately in the war, family heirlooms and his paintings were left behind, presumably destroyed. I've spent some time trying to track some down in case they were recovered and archived somewhere, but have had no luck so far. In that search I made some interesting discoveries about this time period though.
Firstly, for some context I want to talk about Japan's rapid modernization in the late 19th century, referred to as the Meiji Restoration. After centuries of feudal wars in Japan, the land was reunited under imperial rule through the Shinto religion's divine right of the emperor. They were pressured by the threat of colonialization by Western powers (notably Russia), and realized that they needed to adapt Western technologies. Under the new government, inventions such as electricity were implemented quickly, and resources were expedited on preestablished routes from the feudal period. Then they set their sights beyond their islands to the landmass of Eurasia, and subsequently colonized and occupied Korea.
These artworks are culturally Korean, and produced under Japanese occupation during these changing times.
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| Hwaun, 1944, ink and color on Hanji paper, 212 x 153 cm. |
Hanbok (traditional korean clothing) is an art in of itself, but it is extremely cool that we can see them rendered out in the adaption of western stylization and mediums. Koreans were being culturally assimilated, which came in several different waves. The Empire of Japan abolished the historical Joseon Caste System, which began the suppression of Korean ancestral lineage. Civil registration required all ethnic Koreans to assume Japanese identities to participate in society, including abandoning family clan names in favor of Japanese ones. Koreans were still resilient in their own national identity and often maintained their Korean names socially, and if anything were only Japanese on paper.
Traditionally Korean artworks were done on silk or Hanji, which is a type of paper made from two plants uniquely native to the Korean peninsula. The paper is extremely durable and naturally weatherproof, which is why it was used in building construction, lamps, and of course artworks. Hwaun depicts a woman in hanbok, inked on Hanji.
The style of this work has influences from traditional Joseon stylization, while also clearly being a modern work reflecting the changing times. The harpsicord is a western invention. A notable detail that might not be realized at first glance is the chair and table, which also show western influence. Traditionally, Korean furniture is much shorter because you are meant to sit on the floor. Beds are also on the floor (with padding), which is probably better for your back, but I have tried it multiple times and am unable to enjoy it after a lifetime of mattresses. My guess for why the furniture is like that also has something to do with the insulative properties of Hanji, which was used in floor construction. The combination of traditional and modern makes this artwork stand out to me.
Self-Portrait in Long Blue Coat, circa 1948-49, oil on canvas.
Interestingly a lot of works from this period are from Korean art students who studied in Japan, where they had access to foreign materials, like oil paints. Unfortunately, as with a lot of things a large portion of works in this time were burned or destroyed during the Korean war. This painting by Lee Quede is an experimental work done in oil paints, depicting the painter in a male hanbok, with a fedora. He has a serious expression, which I think could be because he is trying to paint outdoors, something that can be incredibly frustrating. There are quite a few paintings from this time integrating Western stylization too, from stylistic rendering to anatomical studies imported from Western methods. It's very cool to me because they were probably the first depictions of Koreans in these styles which seem so universally recognized now.
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| 고희동 (Self-Portrait), 1915. Oil on canvas, 61 × 46 cm. |
Lastly is a man in male hanbok, with a traditional hat. Not a lot of people know this but Koreans are hat fanatics. Some hats are very ornamental or have interesting designs in their construction such as this one. This is because hats (and clothing) were historically used to distinguish social classes. The hat the man is wearing specifically is a Jeongjagwan, which is a decorative indoor hat belonging to the yangban, or aristocrat class. I think this is an interesting subject for a painting since the Joseon Caste was dissolved at this point. Could the painter have been someone from yangban lineage? Or maybe it’s a point of defiance against the Japanese colonial system? The paint is applied in soft blotches, rather than rough lines, which gives me the impression of an old photograph with soft lighting, only in color. I like how the artist captured the transparency of the horse-hair hat so we can see the internal geometry.
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I really enjoyed reading this, I learned a lot that I didn't know! I think that the integration of western influence in the details and the mediums of some of these paintings is really interesting. It makes me wonder if it was brought on by Japan's occupation of Korea due to Japan's rapid industrialization during this time which included some ties with the western world. I also like how traditional Korean influences are portrayed in these works, which I wouldn't have known unless I knew the background of the time period, so thank you for including that!
ReplyDeleteIt is great to hear your first-hand relationship with art and the history that’s been shared with you by family. It seems that the Western style was very much integrated with art during this time period, but it would be interesting to see if there was any change or rise in traditional art as a form of protest.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting to compare the styles in “Hwaun” and “Self-Portrait in Long Blue Coat.” The two pieces are so close in years but seem to have different influences as far as art styles. The first being very two-dimensional and flat perspective, although no less a great piece, with the second having depth in shading and an attempt at perspective in the background, much like the works in the Northern Renaissance era. I am absolutely amazed by the third piece, “Self-Portrait”. The technique to achieve the translucent headdress shows the great skill and talent of the artist!
Hi Lee! I am so sorry to hear that your family heirlooms and paintings were left behind in North Korea. I can’t imagine how scary that must have been for your grandfather and any family members with him. I hope you have better luck soon in finding historical pieces from your family.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know much about the history of Korea, but have always really loved the manga that originated from South Korea. Not anything fancy obviously, but the style from there is one of my favorites and I can typically notice which ones are from Korea, China, or Japan. Each country has such a unique style. I didn’t know that Japan had once controlled Korea, or hopefully I just forgot. I love the first piece since the subject matter seems so peaceful and is a very interesting style. It almost reminds me of traditional Japanese artwork with it’s own flare. I like the variations of blue. You can see the blue popping out in the woman’s hanbok, the harpsichord, and the flower pot stand and shows somewhat of a triangle formation. There isn’t much contrast in the art, but within the flower pot, the white, pink, and burgundy flowers pop against the green. The artist seems to use different hues of certain colors in order to give off shadows in order to make items more realistic. There are a lot of defined hard lines used. I think it’s a beautiful piece. And on top of that, I just learned what a harpsichord was today.
Hello Lee! I thought your coverage on this period of Korean art was extremely interesting to read about. I especially enjoy the amount of historical context you gave to let us know how art like this came to be. For the Hanji paper, was it used because it was so versatile and could also be used for construction? Did it have a certain visual identity when painted upon, like affecting the color or texture? Great post!
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