CMA: Korean Art

Seal

Seal https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.1036

Yi Ha-eung was one of the most influential men in late 19th-century Korea. Acting as the regent for his son, King Gojong (1852−1919), who ascended the throne at age 13, Yi ruled Korea from 1866 to 1873 and remained the center of politics for the next two decades. <br><br>In addition to his illustrious political career, Yi was also one of the most celebrated artists who led the revival of literati art in Korean art of the late 1800s. In particular, Yi was recognized as the master of orchids, one of the “Four Gentlemen” themes (plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo). Orchids, which often grow wild, widely spreading their strong fragrance, were often associated with the perseverance of principled gentlemen. <br><br>Solely using monochrome ink, Yi depicted the curvilinear silhouettes of cymbidium orchid leaves dramatically hanging from cliffs. On the upper right corner of the far left panel, Yi wrote a short inscription stating that he painted the work at the age of 80. This work demonstrates Yi’s mature brushwork, which harmonizes vigor and grace.

Orchids and Rocks https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.138

Saucer with Inlaid Chrysanthemum Design

Saucer with Inlaid Chrysanthemum Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.448

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.666

Spoon

Spoon https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.338

Long-necked Bottle with Incised Floral Design

Long-necked Bottle with Incised Floral Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.622

Incense Box with Dragon Design

Incense Box with Dragon Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1988.54

Korean Buddhist painting was much admired by Westerners at the beginning the 20th century, and then fell out of sight until the 1970s. As the painting hung continuously for many years in the museum's Asian art galleries, its condition began to deteriorate and cracks developed across the surface. This was caused by constant exposure and the relatively thick backing papers, which affected the painting's structure during the rolling and unrolling of the scroll over the decades. Long diagonal tears also appeared precisely in the area of the figure's chest and face, disfiguring it. Treatment of this scroll involved the laborious task of removing all the original paper supports and then substituting more pliable backing papers in two layers. Surface losses were consolidated, and then in-painted judiciously, or left untouched. The blue textile mounting is the original fabric, cleaned and conserved.

Tathagata Buddha https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.542

Gourd-Shaped Bottle

Gourd-Shaped Bottle https://clevelandart.org/art/1992.113

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.515

Wide-Mouthed Vase

Wide-Mouthed Vase https://clevelandart.org/art/1928.176

Bowl

Bowl https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.455.a

Belt Buckle

Belt Buckle https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.1022

Seal

Seal https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.1043

Chopstick

Chopstick https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.327

This illuminated manuscript presents one part of a multivolume sacred Buddhist text. In medieval Korea, Buddhism was the most popular religion among common people and the upper classes alike. This elegant folding book was produced at the request of a high-ranking official as a way of proving religious faith. It is written in gold (the frontispiece and borders) and silver (the calligraphy) ink on specially colored paper. The golden brushwork of the frontispiece depicts a temple courtyard filled with buildings, a garden, and a fence in front of which stands a group of stately figures. The tallest figure, Buddha of the Future (Maitreya), addresses the young kneeling pilgrim who asks questions about the path towards spiritual awakening. This story is written in the columns of bold, silver text following the illustration. Each column contains 17 characters, each carefully brushed onto the paper so as to visually relate to the characters above and below. This is the work by rigorously trained Buddhist monks in whose temples some of the world's greatest libraries existed in the 1200s and 1300s. So prized were their talents that these scribes traveled to China to demonstrate their skills. The Japanese avidly collected the texts too, so much so that most Korean sutras reside in that country today. This example is one of only five or six to be found in Western collections.

Avatamsaka Sutra No. 78 https://clevelandart.org/art/1994.25

Dish with Incised Scroll Design

Dish with Incised Scroll Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.644

Assembly of Buddhist Deities

Assembly of Buddhist Deities https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.541

A Pair of Chopsticks

A Pair of Chopsticks https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.1032

Chopstick

Chopstick https://clevelandart.org/art/1924.141.1

Epitaph Plaques for Yi Gi-ha

Epitaph Plaques for Yi Gi-ha https://clevelandart.org/art/1998.291.12

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.536

These two portraits are of members of the Cho family, which originated from the area of Punhyang. Cho Jae-ho (1702-1762) on the left is the cousin of Cho Hyun-myeong on the right. Both were High State Councilors, called yeong-uijeong, and the Cho family ordered these two portraits as a family honor. Korean portraits were copied for sharing at each family Confucian ritual; similar portraits are still in the collection of the Cho family in Korea.

Cho Hyun-myeong from Punhyang Cho Family https://clevelandart.org/art/1999.15.1

Box and Cover with Inlaid Chrysanthemum Design

Box and Cover with Inlaid Chrysanthemum Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.423

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design

Spoon with Fish-Tail Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.352

Yi Sumun is a Korean painter who moved to Japan in 1424 at the age of 20. Yi’s style likely represents the Yuanti school of royal court painting during the early Ming period. This pair of screens is the artist’s most important composition in this format and is smaller in scale than the average Japanese screen (<em>byobu</em>). Viewed from right to left, the screens show the passage of the four seasons, a popular theme in medieval Japanese ink painting.

Landscape of the Four Seasons https://clevelandart.org/art/1976.92.1

Prunus Vase with Incised Peony Design

Prunus Vase with Incised Peony Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.645

This large rectangular box was designed for keeping a scroll or an important document. The mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer rendering of a dragon and phoenix combines texture, color, and shape to produce a dazzling effect. The large and prominent designs of the Joseon-period inlaid lacquer, like on this box, replaced the fine detail and mosaic-like patterns popular in the Goryeo period (918-1392).

Scroll Box with Dragon and Phoenix Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1990.15

Melon-shaped Ewer with Incised Peony Design

Melon-shaped Ewer with Incised Peony Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.618

Box and Cover with Inlaid Chrysanthemum and Scroll Design

Box and Cover with Inlaid Chrysanthemum and Scroll Design https://clevelandart.org/art/1921.635