A Glimpse into Early Joseon Art: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the National Museum of Korea's Relocation
White Porcelain Bowl with Lotus Scroll Design (15th Century)
This piece inherits the inlaid technique of Goryeo ceramics while its surface color trends towards white porcelain.
View of the National Museum of Korea
The museum was relocated from Gyeongbokgung Palace (where the National Palace Museum is currently located) to Yongsan Park, the site of a former US military base (October 28, 2004).
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of Korea's relocation to Yongsan, the special exhibition <New Era, New Art: Masterpieces of Early Joseon Dynasty> is being held, showcasing the artistic journey of the first 200 years after the founding of Joseon (1392).
White Porcelain Jar with Pine and Bamboo Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue (1489)
In addition to artifacts from the National Museum of Korea, 72 institutions and individuals from home and abroad, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States, the Guimet Museum in France, the Horim Museum, and the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation, have contributed to the exhibition. This special exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view over 700 precious works of art, including 16 National Treasures and 63 Treasures, all in one place.
Snowy Landscape (Early 16th Century)
Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, USA
National Museum of Korea 20th Anniversary of Yongsan Opening
<New Era, New Art>
Masterpieces of Early Joseon Dynasty
National Museum of Korea
June 10 - August 31, 2025
Admission: Adults 8,000 won, Teenagers 6,000 won
Reservations Required
(Audio Guide 3,000 won)
Early Joseon art is relatively unknown because there are fewer surviving works compared to the later period, and many are located abroad. However, the characteristics and aesthetic sensibilities of that era, formed with the great change of building a new nation, have become an important part of Korean culture and continue to this day.
Top: White Porcelain Jar and Lidded Jar (15th Century)
Private Collection and Horim Museum Collection
Bottom: White Porcelain Flat Bottle (15th Century)
Collection of the National Museum of Korea
The exhibition begins with the Sarira reliquaries commissioned by Yi Seong-gye in his dream of founding Joseon and is divided into ceramics, calligraphy and painting, and Buddhist art, represented by the three colors of white, black, and gold, and concludes with Hunminjeongeum.
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<Prologue> Dawn of Joseon, a New Nation
<Part 1> Ceramics: White, Shaping the Dreams of Joseon
<Part 2> Calligraphy and Painting: Black, Imbuing the World with Humanities
<Part 3> Buddhist Art: Gold, Containing Unchanging Prayers
<Epilogue> The Light of Joseon, Hunminjeongeum
Assembly of Four Buddhas Painting (1562)
Scene of Amitabha, Bhaisajyaguru, Maitreya, and Sakyamuni Buddha preaching
<Prologue> Dawn of Joseon, a New Nation
At the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, Yi Seong-gye and his close associates dreamed of founding a new nation while enshrining Sarira reliquaries on Wolchulbong Peak in Geumgangsan Mountain, a Buddhist sacred site of Goryeo.
Sarira Reliquaries Commissioned by Yi Seong-gye
White Porcelain Bowl, Bronze Bowl, Pagoda-shaped Gilt-bronze Sarira Case
(Goryeo 1390-1391)
<Part 1> White, Shaping the Dreams of Joseon
Goryeo celadon transformed into Buncheong ware with the founding of Joseon, reaching its peak. Early Joseon Buncheong inlaid ware resembles Goryeo celadon inlaid ware.
Left: Buncheong Inlaid Maebyeong with Lotus and Willow Design
(Early 15th Century)
Right: Celadon Inlaid Maebyeong with Lotus and Willow Design
(Goryeo 14th Century), Excavated from Gaeseong
Buncheong ware, as the name suggests, is pottery made by coating the surface of gray or grayish-black clay with white clay and applying glaze, but in the early inlaid Buncheong ware, the distinction may be ambiguous because the surface is not coated with white clay.
Buncheong Stamped Bottle (Early 15th Century)
* The lines flowing from the trumpet-shaped opening and long neck to the bottom of the body are flexible.
In the early period, inlaid and stamped techniques were used, and as it progressed to the later period, various techniques of Buncheong ware such as sgraffito and underglaze iron painting appeared.
Buncheong Sgraffito Flat Bottle with Taegeuk Design (Late 15th Century)
<Inlaid Buncheong: Early 15th Century>
Inlaid Technique: Pattern on the surface, filled with white clay
Stamped Technique: Pattern with a stamp, filled with white clay
<Decorated Buncheong: Late 15th - Early 16th Century>
Sgraffito Technique: Scraping off the area excluding the pattern on white clay
Incised Technique: Drawing a pattern with a brush on white clay
Underglaze Iron Painting Technique: Drawing a pattern with iron pigment
Brush Marking Technique: Applying white clay with a brush
Dunking Technique: Dipping in white clay water and taking it out
Buncheong Jar with Underglaze Iron Vine Design
(Late 15th - Early 16th Century)
Joseon developed its pottery technology by strictly managing artisans across the country through a centralized system, eventually creating pure white porcelain that replaced celadon. The early Joseon period was a time when the most diverse pottery coexisted in Korean history.
White Porcelain Bowl with 'Cheon', 'Ji', 'Hyeon', 'Hwang' Inscriptions on the Foot
(Late 15th - Early 16th Century) Made by Gwangju Gwan-yo
Early white porcelain pursued pure whiteness centered on the royal family and had a simple and restrained form, whereas later white porcelain became popular and added various patterns and splendid decorations.
White Porcelain Lidded Jar with Plum Blossom/Bird/Bamboo Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue (Late 15th - 16th Century)
Underglaze cobalt blue porcelain was made by drawing patterns with expensive cobalt pigment produced in Persia on high-purity white porcelain and was used exclusively by royalty and the Sadaebu (scholar-officials).
White Porcelain Cup Stand with Grass/Insect Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue with 'Mangwoodae' Inscription
(Late 15th - 16th Century)
Underglaze iron-painted white porcelain, in which patterns were drawn with iron components, was also made from the early Joseon period, but its full-scale popularity began after the Imjin War.
White Porcelain Bottle with Rope Design in Underglaze Iron (16th Century)
[Royal Family and Porcelain]
Joseon sought to build a Confucian ideal society by changing state rituals and customs to Confucian styles.
Gukjo Oryeui Seorye (5th year of Seongjong): Joseon Early Ritual Book
Detailed procedures necessary for the implementation of the state ritual book 'Gukjo Oryeui'
Year of publication unknown, first published by Shin Suk-ju and Kang Hee-maeng in 1474
The five royal ceremonies, Orye, include auspicious ceremonies (Gilrye) including marriage and Jongmyo ancestral rites, congratulatory ceremonies (Garye) such as the investiture of the crown prince and banquets, guest ceremonies (Binrye) to welcome guests and envoys, military etiquette (Gunrye), and funeral ceremonies (Hyungrye). The basic details were decided during the reign of King Sejong in the early Joseon period, supplemented during the reign of King Sejo, and completed with detailed protocols, costumes, and utensils during the reign of King Seongjong (1474).
Buncheong Jar with Inlaid and Stamped Cloud and Dragon Design
(15th Century)
Pottery symbolizing the authority of the dynasty, such as dragon patterns, was made, and ritual vessels such as Sanroe, which depicted cloud images on mountains, were also produced for use in royal ceremonies.
White Porcelain Sanroe with Handles with Lightning/Mountain Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue and Iron
(15th Century)
Underglaze iron pigment and underglaze cobalt blue pigment used simultaneously
<Part 2> Black, Imbuing the World with Humanities
The Sadaebu, the new political forces of Joseon who adopted Confucianism as the ruling ideology, expressed their ideals in poetry, calligraphy, and painting.
Landscape Painting in the Style of An Gyeon (Early 16th Century)
Painter unknown, Written by Hakpo
The landscape of ink wash painting was not simply scenery, but an ideal world dreamed of by the Sadaebu and a window to expand the inner self.
Eight Views of Xiaoxiang, Artist Unknown (Early 16th Century)
Song Di's Eight Views of Xiaoxiang (11th Century), a literati painter from the Northern Song Dynasty in China, depicts the beautiful scenery of eight places where the Xiaoshui and Xiangshui rivers join in Hunan Province. As the saying goes, the mainstream of Oriental painting is landscape painting, the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang were introduced from China to the late Goryeo period and became popular in the 16th century, centered on the An Gyeon school of painters.
Eight Views of Xiaoxiang
① Misty Mountains (山市晴嵐): Clear Mountain Scenery
② Evening Bell from a Temple in Mist (煙寺暮鐘): Evening Bell of a Temple in Mist
③ Returning Sails off a Distant Shore (遠浦歸帆): Boat Returning to a Distant Harbor
④ Sunset Glow over a Fishing Village (漁村夕照): Sunset Glow Falling on a Fishing Village
⑤ Night Rain on the Xiaoxiang River (瀟湘夜雨): Night Rain Falling on the Xiaoxiang River
⑥ Autumn Moon over Dongting Lake (洞庭秋月): Autumn Moon over Dongting Lake
⑦ Wild Geese Descending on a Sandbar (平沙落雁): Geese Landing on a Sandbar
⑧ Evening Snow on the River and Sky (江天暮雪): Evening Snow Falling on a Winter River
'Gyehoedo' Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Passing the Civil Service Examination (circa 1542)
Drawn in the An Gyeon style, Writing/Calligraphy by Kim In-hu (1510-1560)
'Gyehoedo' refers to a painting left to commemorate a private gathering of Joseon early scholars called 'Gyehoe'.
The top is the title of the meeting,
The center is the meeting scene with a landscape background,
The bottom is a list of meeting participants.
Cheonjamun by Han Seok-bong (First Edition in 1583)
King Seonjo had Seokbong Han Ho, a master calligrapher representing the early Joseon period, write the Cheonjamun, a Chinese character learning book, and printed it with woodblocks and distributed it. As this exhibit is the first published edition, the neat and clean characteristics of Seokbong's style are well revealed.
Cursive Script by Hwang Gi-ro (1521-1575), a Representative Calligrapher of the 16th Century
Joseon scholars learned from and recreated famous Chinese calligraphy styles. Among the various calligraphy styles of the early Joseon period, cursive script, in which strokes were boldly omitted, was popular in the 16th century.
<Part 3> Gold, Containing Unchanging Prayers
Although the Confucian era opened with the founding of Joseon, Buddhism took its place in the hearts of Joseon people in the private sphere, existing as a faith that comforted the pain of life and the sorrow of death.
Gilt-bronze Buddha and Buddhist Shrine Enshrined in the Pagoda of Sujongsa Temple (1493)
* Sujongsa Temple in Namyangju is a temple deeply related to the royal family
In the early Joseon period, not only the royal family and Sadaebu, but also the general public were devoted to Buddhist art and Buddhist events following Goryeo.
Dry-lacquered Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Pensive Posture Commissioned by Sadaebu at Girimsa Temple (1501)
* The dry lacquer technique involves covering a clay statue with layers of hemp cloth and applying lacquer to harden it, then hollowing out the inside.
From ancient times, Confucianism and Buddhism
Have not been able to tolerate each other,
But they will not be able to eliminate all Buddhas.
Even though the vassals reject the Buddha,
They do not abolish the Suryukjae
Because they pray for the repose of the deceased kings.
Annals of King Seongjong, Vol. 117, May 30, 11th year (1480)
Words spoken by Queen Insu
* Suryukjae: An act of offering Buddhist teachings and food to comfort wandering souls on land and water
Ksitigarbha and Ten Kings Painting (1586)
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Ten Kings who govern the world of death
Collection of Suokokubunji Temple in Japan
* An ancient temple located in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
In Japan, where Buddhism was introduced through Baekje, Buddhist paintings, statues, and Buddhist scriptures produced in Baekje, as well as Goryeo and Joseon, were highly valued.
Tripitaka Koreana Transmitted to Japan in the Early Joseon Period
(Published in 1381, Transmitted to Japan in the 15th Century)
Otani University Library, Japan
In the early Joseon period, Tripitaka and Buddhist art were delivered to Japan through Tongshinsa, diplomatic envoys to Japan, and many were plundered during the Imjin War. Buddhist works from the early Joseon period held by Japanese temples, institutions, and individuals are also included in this exhibition.
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Made of Wood Covered with Clay
(15th Century)
<Epilogue> The Light of Joseon, Hunminjeongeum
King Sejong, the 4th king, created the new letters Hunminjeongeum in 1443, and published the Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon in 1446 to explain the principles of the letters.
Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon (1446)
A book explaining Hunminjeongeum, woodblock print
Hunminjeongeum, meaning the correct sounds to teach the people, brought about an innovation in literacy by allowing people to easily record and express their language.
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