Ewer with lid, approx. 1050-1125. Goryeo dynasty (918-1392). Stoneware with blue-green (celadon) glaze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P123+.
Guardian king of the west (Gwangmok cheonwang), 2002-2003, by Jae-u (Korean, born 1966). Ink and mineral colors on cotton. Gift of Jae-u, 2004.10.
Illustrations of Buddhist texts and ritual formulas (Rashmivimla-vishuddhiprabhasa-dharani-sutra) (Mugujeonggwang Daedarani), 2001, by Dong-uArtist: Myeongcheon. Korea. Handscroll; sutra, gold on paper. Gift of Dong-u seunim, 2002.12.2.
Jar, approx. 1600. Korea. Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Porcelain with transparent glaze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P110+.
Jar, approx. 1700–1800. Korea. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Porcelain with a tiger and magpie design in underglaze cobalt. Gift of Namkoong Ryun, 2001.9.
Portrait of a gentleman, approx. 1930–1940, by Choe Gwangik (1891-1970). Korea. Ink and colors on silk. Gift of Dong Jin Peter Choi, 1998.42.
Portrait of Seosan Daesa, Hyujeong, approx. 1593–1650. Korea. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Ink and colors on silk. Museum purchase, City Arts trust Fund, 1992.345.
Scholar's accoutrements (chaekkeori), approx. 1860, by Yi Eungrok (active late 1800s). Korea. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Ink and colors on paper. Acquisition made possible by the Koret Foundation, the Connoisseurs' Council and Korean Art and Culture Committee. Re-mounting funded by the Society for Asian Art, 1998.111.
Standing Buddha, approx.700–800. Korea. Unified Silla dynasty (668–935). Gilt Bronze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B65B64.
Tea bowl with standing crane design (gohon tachizuru), approx. 1603. Japan. Glazed stoneware with iron and slip inlay. The Avery Brundage Collection, B72P17.
The Buddha Amitabha with the eight great bodhisattvas, approx. 1350-1390. Korea. Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Ink, colors, and gold on silk. The Avery Brundage Collection, B72D38.
Two-tiered chest with stand, approx. 1800-1850. Korea. Lacquered wood with mother-of-pearl inlay. Gift of Evelyn B. McCune in memory of George McAfee McCune, 1992.30.1-.3.
Vessel in the shape of a duck, approx. 200-300. Korea; ancient region of Gaya. Earthenware. The Avery Brundage Collection, B63P13+.
Wrapping cloth (bojagi), Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), 1800–1900. Korea. Patchwork silk with jewel motif. Acquisition made possible by Mrs. Ann Witter, 2002.7.
Wrapping cloth (bojagi), approx. 1950-1960. The Republic of Korea. Patchwork silk. Gift of Dr. Forrest Mortimer, 1993.5.
Buddhism has deeply influenced the character and evolution of Asian civilization over the past 2,500 years. It is based on the teachings of a historical figure, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived around the fifth century BCE. As it moved across Asia, Buddhism absorbed indigenous beliefs and incorporated a wide range of imagery, both local and foreign, into its art and religious practices. Buddhism continues to evolve as a religion in many parts of the world.
Buddhism became the official religion of one of Korea's early kingdoms in 372, after a priest arrived from China with Buddhist images and scriptures. From the time of its introduction it had the enthusiastic support of the rulers and the aristocracy. By the middle of the 500s, Buddhism had been officially accepted by all three kingdoms that reigned in Korea at that time.
Korea is a mountainous peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides. It shares its northern borders with China and Russia, and its closest southern neighbor is Japan, which lies across a narrow strait. Learn more.
The Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) of Korea was a period of intense religious fervor. Its people—from the rulers to their lowest subjects—were ardent believers in Buddhism.
Learn more about the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) of Korea.
The Islamic world is and always has been more diverse and complex than most outsiders have thought...
The religious fervor and opulence of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) can be seen in the intricately hand-copied sutras (the teachings of the Buddha) that date to this period. Korean monk-scribes were commissioned by royals, aristocrats, and individual high-ranking monks to write the sacred words of the Buddha by applying pigments of ground gold and silver to deep indigo–dyed mulberry paper. They began by pictorially narrating the sermons of the Buddha with key episodes within the sutra chapter on the frontispiece (first four sutra panels). The rest of the sutra comprised flowing calligraphy translating the Buddha’s teachings.
The boys in this image study Chinese calligraphy. Calligraphy is painted with brush and ink and can be produced in five different scripts. It is both an art form and a language. It originated with the ancient seal script found in ancient China on ceremonial bronze vessels and on oracle bones. Chinese writing systems entered Korea during the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668 CE) probably assisted by Buddhist monks, who were proficient in the reading and writing of texts. Even after the Korean (hangul) system of writing was developed in 1446, scholars continued to read and write using Chinese calligraphy.
When we consider acquiring an object for the Asian Art Museum’s collection, our first step is to focus a trained eye on it...
The earliest surviving representations of the Buddha date from hundreds of years after his death, so they are not portraits in the usual sense. Buddha images vary greatly from place to place and period to period, but they almost always show these conventional features . . .
This image shows mountains and harvested rice in the autumn near the village of Andong in South Korea. Andong has been preserved as a traditional village, and exhibits both upper- and lower-class houses from the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). The Korean peninsula is filled with mountains. Mountains form natural barriers and also create distinctive regions within Korea. Rice is a staple crop in Korea. Land formed the basis of wealth for most of Korean history. Rice was harvested not only for food, but also to pay for taxes.
As long as people have valued art there has been incentive to make copies, imitations and fakes...
The Buddha—that is, the “Enlightened One”—lived nearly 2500 years ago in northern India. His followers have always seen his life as a shining example to all, but what “really happened” is now impossible to know for certain. Even the earliest stories of his life include miraculous events that may seem hard to take literally. Later versions are even more elaborate, and they differ from one another in many details.
The Lotus Lantern Festival, also known as Yeondeunghoe or the “Feast of Lanterns,” is one of the most celebrated Buddhist ceremonies held in Korea. On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month (late April or early May of the Roman calendar), hundreds of thousands of candlelit paper lanterns are raised throughout the country to commemorate the Buddha’s birthday. In addition to the popular eight-sided lantern painted with Buddhist symbols of longevity and good fortune, lanterns are also constructed in various shapes and sizes based on themes of birth—including turtles, watermelon, fish, and ducks. These decorative lanterns are suspended in the front of every household, one lantern for each family member, with their names and prayers written on narrow sheets of white paper that sway gently from the base of the lanterns.
Over the centuries, two main branches of Buddhism emerged: a transmission that traveled to Southeast Asia, and a transmission that evolved in East Asia. A further offshoot of the northern transmission also developed. All three branches began in India, and developed further as they moved across Asia.
“Asia” is a term invented by the Greeks and Romans, and developed by Western geographers to indicate the land mass east of the Ural Mountains and Ural River, together with offshore islands such as Japan and Java.
Explore images and stories of animals from across Asia. This selection of resources support the Animal Tales storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Students gain an appreciation and understanding of art and culture, and build language skills by reading; developing scripts; making choices about gesture, voice, and expression; and performing traditional stories alongside art objects in the Asian Art Museum’s collection galleries.
Create your own brush-painted masterpiece.
This selection of resources introduces students to the vocabulary, techniques, and values of East Asian ink painting. Lessons and background information compliment the Brushpainting: Nature in Art school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Introduce your students to the life and teachings of the Buddha and trace the spread of Buddhism through Asia.
Students will: 1.) Learn that Buddhism is a religion founded by an enlightened young Indian prince who became the Buddha. 2.) Learn how the Buddha’s birthday, a national holiday, is celebrated in Korea. 3.) Discuss how the lotus flower is symbol of purity and wisdom. 3.) Construct a lotus blossom lantern.
Learn to fold a paper lotus flower using simple origami techniques.
Students will research objects from the Asian Art Museum’s collection and choose one that they think will earn the most money in the marketplace. Then, they will create a commercial to try to sell their object to the class using evidence as to why the object/idea was considered valuable at the time.
This selection of resources introduces stories of courageous acts performed by ordinary men, women, girls, and boys. Resources support the Heroes and Sheroes storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Students will: 1.) Identify the format and elements of a sutra. 2.) Examine why sutras (the teachings of the Buddha) are important historical and religious documents. 3.) Analyze why the writing of sutras is considered an important religious act. 4.) Construct and illustrate an accordion book manuscript based on the sutra format used during the Goryeo dynasty (Korea).
This selection of resources introduces myths and folktales from Korea. Resources support the Korean Storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Make a monkey puppet in celebration of the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese zodiac.
This selection of resources introduces New Year's stories and traditions from across Asia. Resources support the New Year Celebrations storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Create an album leaf, fan, or scroll of your peaceful place and poetry. This can be as an ink painting, collage, performance, or any other art form.
This selection of resources support the stART storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Trace the spread of Buddhism through close looking at Buddhist objects from different regions. Explore how artifacts reveal distinct local traditions as well as common ideas and motifs.
This selection of resources introduces stories of trickster characters from across Asia. Resources support the Tricksters! storytelling school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Artist Hwang Samyong discusses his artwork Pebbles, which will be on view at the Asian Art Museum as part of the exhibition Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware from Korea.
An introduction to Korean Confucianism and related architecture.
Discover what was found inside a Korean Buddhist sculpture.
In this lecture series, renowned scholars from across the nation will discuss the manipulation of art by Asian rulers across cultures and time.
Adrian Wong's background in research-based psychology is reflected in the way he prepares months before beginning a project. He delves into historical archives, combs through photographs and memorabilia, and conducts interviews. Watch his interview with Classical Feng Shui Practitioner Sasha Yungju Lee in preparation for his installation in the exhibition Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past on view at the Asian Art Museum from May 18–September 2, 2012.
Learn more about the arts of Korea and Japan through lectures by renowned scholars.
This lecture series, organized by the Society for Asian Art, explores narrative using Asian art—how myths, legends, histories and moral precepts have been transmitted through visual means. Topics range from sculptural reliefs and murals used to educate pilgrims at famous religious sites to works created primarily for entertainment. Contemporary storytelling is also addressed via lectures on Bollywood and manga produced by San Francisco's Henry Yoshitaka Kiama.
This lecture series examines the origins of traditions and how traditions are renewed, appropriated, and transformed over time.
This video documents the Asian Art Museum's Nature in Art school program.
A time-lapse video of the installation of Choi Jeong Hwa's "Breathing Flower" in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza. On view during the "Phantoms of Asia" exhibition at the Asian Art Museum (May 18--September 2, 2012).
John Duncan, Director for Korean Studies, UCLA, gives a talk on Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) Korea at the Asian Art Museum.
Peek behind-the-scenes of the Asian Art Museum as conservators Mark Fenn and Colleen O'Shea perform in-depth analysis and treatment of four Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware in the Asian Art Museum's collection.
Peek behind-the-scenes of the Asian Art Museum.
Discover how women of eighteenth-century Korea pushed boundaries through fashion. View this ensemble and more in the Couture Korea exhibition.
Renowned scholars discuss the impact of personalities and patronage on the arts of Asia.
Contemporary Korean ceramic artists Sung Min, Kwon Shin, Kim jin Kyoung, and Park Nae Heon discuss their works.
The Society for Asian Art's renowned Arts of Asia lecture series will focus on trade roads and sea routes. You will be transported from courts to caravans, from stupas to shipwrecks, from mountain passes and river valleys to open seas. Travel with merchants and monks, monarchs and missionaries and see their riches and relics. Discover ancient ceramics, sculptures, coins, calligraphy, tea wares, textiles and much more.
In this video, Buddhist monk artists, Seol-min (formerly known as Jae-u) and Myung Chun discuss Korean Buddhist art and paint the Guardian King of the West, which is now in the Asian Art Museum's collection. This video also includes footage from a symbolic "eye-opening" ceremony, which took place at the museum on December 20, 2003.
The Asian Art Museum presented Korea Foundation Korean Culture Day on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013 for the fifth consecutive year. This feast of Korean culture featured food, music and other performances as well as hands-on art activities for all ages. The festival was presented in conjunction with the museum's special exhibition, In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty.
Join ABC7 and the Asian Art Museum as we travel to Korea to explore the origins of the artworks in the exhibition, In Grand Style: Korean Art During the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), and how they continue to influence the food, travel, and lifestyle in Korea today.
Sun Joo Kim, Harvard-Yenching Professor of Korean history in the department of East Asian languages and civilizations and Director of Korea Institute, Harvard University, gives a talk on the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) in conjunction with the exhibition, In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art During the Joseon Dynasty at the Asian Art Museum.
The Wooden Fish Ensemble plays the music of Hyo-shin Na, including the world premiere of a new work based on A Meadow by Czeslaw Milosz for piano solo. Program includes commentary by Hyo-shin.
This video documents the creation of a Buddhist painting by the monk artist, Seol-min (formerly known as Jae-u), who has dedicated her life to keeping the tradition of Buddhist painting alive.
Jaesup Pak, professor of Korean language and literature at Inje University in Korea, and Tea Master Youngmi Yi introduce cha (tea) and darye (etiquette for tea). Tea was introduced to Korea from China sometime in the 6th or 7th centuries, and since then Koreans have developed an approach to tea with fewer formal rituals and greater range of flexibility in enjoyment of tea. In Korea, tea has always been more than just a simple beverage. Appreciation of music, poetry, dance, and painting prospered as part of tea ceremonies among the elite and the royal court.
In this Therese Schoofs Memorial Lecture, Asian Art Museum docent, Kalpana Desai, discusses the life and works of the Korean artist Yoong Bae.
Bojagi means "wrapping cloth" in Korean. It is used for a variety of purposes, including formal celebrations such as wedding ceremonies and birthday gift presentations. Each bojagi is a unique work of art. Artist Youngmin Lee demonstrates how to make bojagi using various techniques.
Artist Kwangwoo Bae demonstrates the process of making Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware.
This lustrous stoneware vessel is a ewer, or pitcher, dating to the early 1100s, during Korea's Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). It was probably used for wine, which may have been warmed by placing the ewer in a matching bowl of heated water. The ewer's color is called celadon, which is created by a glaze that includes iron oxide. Today, connoisseurs around the world continue to treasure Goryeo celadon as among the most precious items created by Korean artisans.
Mr. Oh talks about the art of calligraphy, the importance of inner tranquility, self discipline and practice. He defines calligraphy as harmony of hand and spirit.
Digitized from VHS, this video re-tells a popular Korean folktale using a painted Korean screen from the collection of the Asian Art Museum.
A lecture series by renowned scholars on the arts of Asia—explore temples, palaces, and sometimes forgotten places of power, religion, and art. Visit world wonders not simply as tourists today, but as monks, monarchs, artisans and artistocrats, traders and explorers experienced them over the centuries.
The sponsorship of art by monarchs, merchants, and devotees throughout Asia will be explored. Lectures will focus on topics spanning Chinese patronage from ancient times through several of the most famous imperial dynasties (Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing) to Jayavarman VII (Angkor Wat), the Safavids in Persia, Jahanara Begum (Shah Jahan's daughter), and even contemporary patrons like the Samsung family.
View talks by renowned scholars from the symposium which coincide dwith the opening of the exhibition, Poetry in Clay: Korean Buncheong Ceramics from Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art on view at the Asian Art Museum (September 16, 2011–January 8, 2012).
Jaebin Yoo, Harvard-Yenching visiting fellow and Ph.D. candidate in art history at Seoul National University, discusses the return procession of King Jeongjo in conjunction with the exhibition, In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art During the Joseon Dynasty, at the Asian Art Museum.
Learn about Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) celadons, among the most renowned of Asian ceramics.
In the heart of Seoul there are several historic palaces that were the residences of Korea's royal family from the 1400's to the mid-1900's. This short documentary explores the art and architecture of these royal palaces of Seoul.
Shamanism is a belief system wherein a person (shaman) acts as an intermediary between humans and spirits. Inspired by Phantoms of Asia, this MATCHA event looks at how the living interact with the spirit world. Our special guest is Dohee Lee, currently an artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts. She will reveal excerpts from her work-in-progress, Mago, which layers installation, music, dance, animation, and ritual with Korean traditional art forms and shamanism.
Korean-born New York based artist Sun K. Kwak makes the invisible visible using a surprisingly simple medium: black masking tape. Through a process infused with an element of performance, Kwak channels surrounding energy to manifest a movement of lines, liberating the space and transforming it into a new pictorial reality. Find out more.
A talk by Jaesup Pak, University of Korea, on tea culture in Korea at the Asian Art Museum in conjunction with the exhibition, In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art During the Joseon Dynasty.
Watch artist Jung Ran Bae create sculptures for her exhibition, Teater-Totter: Human Betweens, in the Korea galleries at the Asian Art Museum from late August 2014 through April 2015.
Truong Tran reads a poem he wrote in response to the artworks, "Frozen Waves," 2010 and Terra Incognita Theta," by Bae Young-whan. This work is in the exhibition Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past (on view at the Asian Art Museum from May 18-September 2, 2012). This presentation was part of MATCHA. Co-presented by Litquake.
The first section of lectures in this series will cover the history of Korean culture and art chronologically, ending with an analysis of Korea’s exciting contemporary art scene. The last four lectures will examine early Japanese culture and art (with the remaining history of Japanese art to be covered in the Spring 2014 semester).
Chin-Sung Chang, Associate Professor in the department of archaeology and art history at Seoul National University, gives a talk on the splendors of the royal family in late Joseon dynasty court paintings in conjunction with the In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korea Art During the Joseon Dynasty exhibition at the Asian Art Museum.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Miriam Mills, engages pre-school students in the museum's Korea galleries by telling a Korean folktale about a tiger and a puppy using artworks from the Asian Art Museum's collection.
A time-lapse video of artist Sun K. Kwak creating "Untying Space_Asian Art Museum, SF." Experience this work in person at the Asian Art Museum during the "Phantoms of Asia" exhibition (on view from May 18-September 2, 2012).
Asian Art Museum volunteer Sandon Chin shot and edited this timelapse video of artist Lee Kang Hyo's demonstration of Korean buncheong pottery.
The Asian Art Museum presented Korea Foundation Korean Culture Day on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013 for the fifth consecutive year. This feast of Korean culture featured food, music and other performances as well as hands-on art activities for all ages. The festival was presented in conjunction with the museum's special exhibition In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty.
Join us for a traditional wedding ceremony at the museum as part of In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty. The Asian Art Museum in collaboration with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation presents a special reenactment of an elite class (yangban) wedding, illuminating the elaborate procedures involved in this ceremony. The reenactment will illustrate how celebrations in Korea's royal court influenced those of the elite class during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), as well as reveal a centuries-old tradition that continues in Korea today.
View a reenactment of a Joseon-dynasty wedding. Learn more about the wedding attire in the exhibition, Couture Korea.
