Korea: Art and Archaeology by Jane Portal
This is both a special interest and general interest book:
If you are a person who gets into art and art history (I don’t particularly), then this book is a must buy: It covers Korea from the ancient to modern period, from calligraphy to clothing to painting to ceramics - and things like the influence of Buddhism or Confucianism or contact with Western modern culture.
If you are not particularly interested in art history, the book still might be worth a buy: It makes a great coffee table book. It is filled with a large number of high quality photographs on quality paper. The book is really put together well. It is the kind of book you showcase on your bookshelf or living room — if you are into that kind of thing.
(My favorite part of the book is the section dealing with Korea’s celedon - especially the Koryo era green-ish style. They make replicas of it today, but an interesting thing I didn’t know before reading the book is that they have lost the techniques to make that the authentic style Koryo ceramics.)
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3:55 pm on July 24th, 2008 1
That’s interesting about them not knowing the original techniques. Are you sure that’s accurate? I could have sworn I’ve seen the opposite said elsewhere. I’ll have to look around.
5:58 pm on July 24th, 2008 2
It’s been a few years since I read the book, but I believe that is correct. I also seem to remember seeing it later on a documentary about Korean art.
Part of the documentary was on a family that had potters going back generations.
I believe the idea was that the specific unique color that makes some Koryo pottery unique is what cannot be replicated in the traditional ways.
I don’t have the book handy to go back and look for it….
…and I could be wrong - because it has been about 5 years or so since I read it and about that same time in watching the documentary…
1:04 am on July 25th, 2008 3
In my opinion, I would take a pass on that book. Most of the art is meaningless. Trinkets, reproductions mostly.
Also, the books lacks a honest context. Korea’s celedon actually came from China and was only really appricated much later in Japan. Korean artisans were low caste, but the book “over looks” that and tries to play up the modern view of art.
Its worthless. If you have a copy burn it.
9:00 am on July 25th, 2008 4
Trinkets - reproductions?
Are you just trying to write something negative that won’t be deleted as a personal attack?
How can a high-gloss photograph of a art object be a “trinket”?
I guess technically your line as written about it being a “reproduction” works — but in the context of your statement - what do you mean, shattered?
—- that the photographs in the book are reproductions of fake art pieces?
Maybe the author went into a novelty shop to get the photos rather than the Korea’s National Museum of Art?
Maybe the Korean government wouldn’t let her get pictures of the real art artifacts because she was a big nose foreigner, aye?
Or, do you mean that she made low quality reproductions of original pictures of original art piece….?…
Makes a lot of sense….
10:03 am on July 25th, 2008 5
“—- that the photographs in the book are reproductions of fake art pieces? ”
USINKOREA, go to Korean museums and look for yourself. The majority of the “art” is a reproduction. Some is real, for sure. A “high gloss picture” does not atuomatcally mean its art.
“Or, do you mean that she made low quality reproductions of original pictures of original art piece….?…”
I don’t know who made it. But I am not suggesting that the books author made them.
3:32 pm on July 25th, 2008 6
Shattered…tsk, tsk…just where do I start?
First, it is true. The ancient technique has been lost. The big “festival” (ceramics fire sale) at Ichon each year publicizes this fact — which I’ve also read in countless articles and art books.
“Korea’s celedon actually came from China and was only really appricated much later in Japan.”
Tsk, tsk. Celadon pottery was much in demand in the Chinese courts because of its refinement and unusual color. Who’s to say which neanderthal man first discovered pottery but the pottery shards have been discovered in Korean digs meaning the “art” of pottery making in Korea was pre-history.
“Korean artisans were low caste, but the book “over looks” that and tries to play up the modern view of art.”
During the fall of the Paekjae in Korea, the artisans were accepted with open arms by the Japanese. There is proof that these “artisans” (pottery, artists, etc.) were given the lower Samurai rank and adopted Japanese names. Within 500 years, they had “disappeared” meaning they were fully assimilated into Japanese society — and became the Japanese artisans we know today.
Do you like Haniwa pottery from Japan? Compare it to Korean art. Some of the national treasures of Japan are actually gifts from the Paekjae — and after centuries some have returned on loan to the National Museum in Puyo.
Also I have finally lived to see the Kaya Kingdom be recognized for their fine art — that in many ways are more refined that the Shilla. This just being excavated now after so many years of neglect simply because of the childish Korean attitude that they were nothing more than adjuncts to the Japanese rulers. Perhaps…but that’s another topic. The point is there is a lot of fine art — and an even greater amount that was stolen from Korea and now resides overseas.
Who has the biggest collection of Korean art? The Louvre. And if they can make a separate Korean art collection wing, I think I can go along with their much more refined and educated tastes.
8:53 pm on July 25th, 2008 7
Kalani, it sounds like you agree with me in part, so thanks. But some of what you say I don’t agree with. Sorry no offence.
Anyway, no offence to USINKOREA, but he admits that he isnt really interested in art and even this book he hasn’t picked up in 5 years. He sounds like he is more interested in high gloss pictures then the art itself.
“Who’s to say….”
Me.
“Kaya Kingdom be recognized for their fine art”
Kaya was a Kingdom? Do tell more. Kaya was a bunch of villages. But if you want to call it a “kingdom” its cool with me. And if you find their trinkets on par with the hermitage that is cool too. Please tell me more about the Kaya “kingdom” hermatage? Do tell.
9:51 pm on July 25th, 2008 8
Shattered,
I assume you are well-grounded in Korean history so I’m afraid to tackle your knowledge — so I won’t.
You are correct that the Kaya never became a unified kingdom and resembled more of a confederation. However, the term “Kaya Kingdom” (from 50-500 AD off the top of my head) has been used for years… I remember picking up an old 1932 college history book in a used book store and it gave a brief overview of the Kaya Kingdom as it called it — but what I liked was the bibliography showed British digs dating to the early 1920s. A few years ago I picked up a history book — published in Europe — and was surprised that it also referred to the Kaya Kingdom, but with a mention of the Minamata Graineries — associated with the Japanese. I had read this in other history book accounts indicating the close ties to the Japanese in trading.
Anyway, my angry comments on the Kaya excavations was that in the 1990s, there were a lot of unscrupulous so-called archeologists that took money from the government for excavating the Kaya sites, but never did a darn thing. It was only recently have they been uncovering the artifacts — which you call “trinkets” — that show as a minimum their refinement was just behind the Shilla — the stuff you call “trinkets” — in the National Museum down in Kyeongju.
The judgments of the refinement of artistic value of Kaya artifacts can be found published in various English encyclopedias if you care to look — so it is an accepted view.
No arguments. If you want to call artifacts “trinkets” I have no problem with that. I just happen to like oriental art — and I’m reading now a book “Design China Power” (Korean/English) that combines items of Chinese art with descriptions of culture that closely relates to Korean customs. I just like this stuff — but if you don’t, I don’t have any problem with that.
10:26 pm on July 25th, 2008 9
Kaya Kingdom-Dokdo-Korean Empire-Worlds First Printing Press-Worlds first iron ship-5000 years history
All attempts to equate the mud floor palaces of Korea, and then surpass the real achievements of real empires and the great nations of this world past and present.
“I assume you are well-grounded in Korean history so I’m afraid to tackle your knowledge — so I won’t.”
I respect you Kalani, and USINKOREA (GI KOREA too) so I hate to disagree with any of you. But I have higher calling. I am pledged to defend truth and justice. Shine the light of truth in the dark hole of Korean culture and hisotry. Fight for those who are free thinkers, those who dare to question the “borg-ish” dogma of the Korean propaganda machine. You make a lot of enemies when you point to the king and tell all he is naked. But I am willing to fight the good fight.
No, no… I am no hero, just a simple person on a lonely quest of truth.
2:04 am on July 26th, 2008 10
Shattered,
I feel no need to get into an idiotic argument with you about whether Korean art is valuable or not or some pissing contest about whether you are an art expert or not.
2:06 am on July 26th, 2008 11
On Kaya, I guess shattered can write a book or article about it to disagree with all those I’ve seen call Kaya a kingdom…
4:28 am on July 26th, 2008 12
Thanks USINKOREA and Kalani, for your polite and heartfelt comments. Both of you are well known bloggers and commentators. Well respected. In the K-blogging world, I am only a mouse. Looking back, I apologise for my undiplomatic language. On the internet, its too easy to be rude, which I think I was, but I didn’t mean to direct that two you gentlemen. It is never my objective to be “anti” anything. I also feel pissing contests serve no good. please understand that I am simple and speak a simple truth.
Kaya…for some.. is quite interesting..for those who know Korea well…KNOW.. that koreans speak little of kaya. Why is that? Three kingdoms? Hmm no kaya…
Koreans know… that Kaya.. was Japanese.
4:58 am on July 26th, 2008 13
“I respect you Kalani, and USINKOREA (GI KOREA too) so I hate to disagree with any of you. But I have higher calling. I am pledged to defend truth and justice. Shine the light of truth in the dark hole of Korean culture and hisotry. Fight for those who are free thinkers, those who dare to question the “borg-ish” dogma of the Korean propaganda machine. You make a lot of enemies when you point to the king and tell all he is naked. But I am willing to fight the good fight.
No, no… I am no hero, just a simple person on a lonely quest of truth ………
Thanks USINKOREA and Kalani, for your polite and heartfelt comments. Both of you are well known bloggers and commentators. Well respected. Looking back, I apologise for my undiplomatic language.”
Oh, Super Shatto !!!
You are the naked king now.
Stop drinking
8:24 am on July 26th, 2008 14
That reminds me — where did put my copy of Don Quixote???