[KS] Korean Museums

[Frank Hoffmann]

Not too sure where that info you quoted is from, 
as she is not giving any source in that paper, 
probably because it can be considered lexical 
knowledge, but I think it is probably just an 
English language problem. (Dr. Sung, by the way, 
is a woman. She's a curator at the National 
Museum of History in Taiwan.) I think it was then 
already the same building as it is at present (as 
part of the Korean National Museum of 
Contemporary Art). That is indeed the West Wing 
of the neoclassical Sôkcho-chôn -- completed in 
1910 (but already being utilized in 1909) -- the 
building you were referring to.

For a photo see e.g. on top of this exhibition report:
http://www.ohmynews.com/nws_web/view/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001038983

The building was begun before Japanese occupation 
and demonstrates King Kojong's interest in 
modernizing the country -- as can be proven not 
just by the building itself but also by the art 
work that was produced or bought for it, both 
from Western countries and made by Korean artists 
(that already show a clear influence from Western 
art at that early time, as we know from some 
photos and various descriptions). The building 
was designed by the architect G.R. Harding in 
1901 and then build by H.W. Davidson.

Frank



>Dear List
>Emeritus Professor Keith Pratt has been trying 
>to send this to the list without success. I am 
>therefore trying for him
>Jim Hoare
>
>
>Dear List members,
>
>In a 2006 conference paper (Korean Museums: 
>Modernization and participation in international 
>activities), Sung Kee-in wrote:
>
>"In this [the protectorate] period, Japanese immigrants
>aggressively collected and purchased all
>kinds of handicrafts and art work all over
>Korea, paving a solid base for national
>museums. It was also during this period that
>grave-robbers-cum-merchants actively
>explored the ancient capitals, Ke Sung and
>Kang Wha. Their findings were gathered up
>and taken to the Cho Sun Governor's office.
>Ironically, the Korean imperial family had to
>pay heavily to purchase these stolen artifacts.
>In this initial period, the museum's collection
>comprised over 12,230 pieces in total.
>The stone-built Hall Art Museum,
>completed in 1909, was located inside the
>Duk Su Palace, which used to be the abode
>of the abdicated emperor Go-Zong. The
>collection then comprised more than 110,000
>pieces."
>
>Does this help or complicate the issue still 
>further?? Can anyone verify the matter of the 
>'imperial family' buying back the artefacts at 
>great cost? I had been wondering which 
>particular 'stone-built' building he was 
>referring to as the 'Hall Art Museum' in the 
>Toksu Palace, and had assumed that it was the 
>Sokcho-jon, which H W Davidson finished in 1909.
>
>Keith


-- 
--------------------------------------
Frank Hoffmann
http://koreaweb.ws
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