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4.0 out of 5 stars
This is a Must Own for lovers of Korean Art!, September 20, 2009
This review is from: Korean Arts Of The Eighteenth Century: Splendor And Simplicity (Hardcover)
Books dedicated to Korean artwork are relatively few, and the majority of them suffer from poor production skills or editing. This book is certainly an exception. Printed in Japan by the The Asia Societies Galleries, NY and Weatherhill, NY & Tokyo is is a folio book of approx. 240 pps. including 161 high quality color reproductions.
Publication coincided with an exhibition organized by the Asia Societies Gallery and the National Museum of Korea in 1993. Interestingly, the editors/curators chose to focus upon a period they consider to be the "high point of the later Choson Period." If this characterization seems a bit wishy washy or perhaps a little too precise, consider that the Choson Dynasty lasted more than 500 years. In other words, almost the entire documented history of Korea prior to the modern era.
When thinking of Korean art, most people immediately think of her Celadon ware for which she is deservedly famous. This book contains none of that. Although it does have a few very nice examples of ceramic ware, it covers a wide spectrum of truly wonderful art works predominantly painting, but also furniture, screens, and cloth-work.
The book opens with some interesting essays about the Koreanification of the national artworks during the time period; a discussion of the art 'scene' and its relationship to society and the court; and finally its place in ritual and religious ceremony.
These are followed by the numerous, excellent color reproductions of various objects and a piece by piece descriptive section that allows one to enjoy and appreciate the individual art works without the necessity of reading the introductory essays.
H'mmm, I recently reread this book and came here to leave a review not realizing I had already done so. This second reading causes me to temper my enthusiasm somewhat even if I still consider this an excellent acquisition which is why I now rate it four stars.
My new observations are that the book is, or nearly is, as textual as it is visual. The early essays, composed by different authors according to topic, are uneven in their quality even if they all transmit worthwhile and edifying information.
The reproductions again strike one as top shelf, as is the selection of art works. Of particular interest to me this time were the patch work carrying cloths created from scraps of cloth; brilliant and sublime.
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