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The National Palace Museum of Korea Presents “Folding Screen of Books and Scholars’ Utensils” as the Curator’s Choice for September
Writer
International Cooperation Division
Date
2022-09-02
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5614

The National Palace Museum of Korea Presents “Folding Screen of Books and Scholars’ Utensils” as the Curator’s Choice for September

- To Be Presented in the Gallery and Online Starting September 1-


The National Palace Museum of Korea (Director: Kim In Kyu), an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, has selected “Folding Screen of Books and Scholars’ Utensils” as its “Curator’s Choice from the Royal Treasures” for the month of September. It will be presented online in a YouTube broadcast on the channels of the Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Palace Museum of Korea starting September 1.

* National Palace Museum of Korea YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/gogungmuseum

* Cultural Heritage Administration YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/chluvu

 

The item being introduced is a four-panel folding screen with a painting that vividly depicts books, scholarly accoutrement, fruit and flowers symbolizing good fortune and auspiciousness, and rare curiosities from China, all arranged behind a rolled-up curtain. This type of folding screen featuring painted books and curios is known in Korean as munbangdo. They were placed in Pyeonjeon Hall where the king managed everyday administrative matters and in Donggung Palace (the residential space of the crown prince) to convey the wish that he would devote himself to learning.

 

The depiction of books and scholars accoutrements in munbangdo paintings demonstrates the royal familys passion for study and learning. It also illustrates the popular hobby of collecting and appreciating curios. Moreover, flowers and fruits with auspicious meanings were arranged in the painting: Pomegranates containing many seeds symbolized fertility, peonies in full bloom represented wealth and prosperity, plum branches stood for dignity and virtue, and the Buddhas hand citrus and narcissus suggested the Buddha and immortals. Together, these images embodied wishes for the peace and prosperity of the royal court.

 

The National Palace Museum of Korea houses a total of four folding screens of books and scholars’ utensils, which demonstrates that munbangdo paintings were produced and utilized in diverse manners within the Joseon royal court. In addition to the four-panel screen that is this month’s Curator’s Choice, two-panel folding screens of books and scholars’ utensils are displayed in the Paintings and Calligraphy of Joseon Royal Court Gallery on the B1 floor of the museum. Those unable to visit the gallery in person can still enjoy this month’s Curator’s Choice virtually through a video with Korean and English subtitles available on the museum’s website (gogung.go.kr) and on the YouTube channels of the museum and the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea.

 

 

Division: Exhibition & Publicity Division, The National Palace Museum of Korea

Contact person: Lim Kyoung-hee (02-3701-7631), Kim Jae-eun(02-3701-7633)


Attached File
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