Goryeo Dynasty Artworks Housed at an Overseas Institution to Be Showcased Following Conservation and Restoration Treatment
- Exclusive Preview of Eight Overseas Cultural Heritage Items

Following Their Conservation and Restoration /

 September 8 – October 17, 2021, National Palace Museum of Korea -

The National Palace Museum of Korea (Director: Kim In Kyu), an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, is presenting the special exhibition In Pursuit of the Aesthetic Legacy of the Goryeo Dynasty in celebration of the 120 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belgium. Showcasing eight artworks from the Goryeo Dynasty from the collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium that have recently been restored in Korea, the exhibition will be held from September 8 through October 17.

This exhibition, which is a part of the Overseas Cultural Heritage Conservation and Utilization Support Project of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (Chairperson: Choi Eung Chon), presents to the Korean public for the first time eight works (six celadon vessels and two metal items) from the Goryeo Dynasty. They recently underwent conservation and restoration treatment at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (Director General: Ji Byong Mok) and will be displayed prior to being returned to their home institution in Belgium.

The six celadon vessels are decorated with sanggam inlay, an ornamental effect considered remarkable even among the ornate adornment techniques applied during the Goryeo Dynasty. All of them are presumed to have been produced in the late Goryeo period. The designs featured on the vessels are motifs that were widely popular at the time – including a waterside landscape (featuring willows, reeds, lotus flowers, and waterfowls), clouds and cranes, and grapevines and boys. Five of the vessels (excluding the Celadon Bowl with Inlaid Crane and Cloud Design) once belonged to Victor Collin de Plancy (1853–1922), the first French consul to Korea (dispatched in 1888). They changed hands afterwards and ultimately joined the collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium between 1946 and 1947.

The celadon vessels underwent conservation and restoration treatment that included removing traces of discoloration and aligning and reattaching broken pieces. In particular, a comprehensive comparative analysis of the form, angle, size, and designs of gourd-shaped celadon ewers of the Goryeo Dynasty determined that the previously-restored handle and spout of the Celadon Gourd-shaped Ewer with Inlaid Grapevine and Boy Design were inappropriate to the piece. A detailed analysis of data related to celadon held both at home and abroad was carried out using 3D imaging, and a new spout and twisted handle were created. The mouth and lid of the ewer were also restored to complete the ewer. Parts of the Celadon Bottle with Inlaid Lotus and Willow Design that had been previously treated showed discoloration, so the stains were removed and the vessel was re-treated to achieve a color match.

The Gilt-bronze Case for Acupuncture Needles and the Bronze Kundika are the first metal pieces to be selected for conservation and restoration under the Overseas Cultural Heritage Conservation and Utilization Support Project. The treatment of the metalworks focused on the preservation of their original state and slowing the corrosion process to the degree possible. Corrosion was removed from both works, and stabilization and consolidation treatment was performed.

In addition to presenting a physical exhibition for these eight restored Goryeo Dynasty artworks, the National Palace Museum of Korea will present the works in a virtual format starting September 17. Videos documenting the conservation and restoration process and interviews providing insights into the exhibition will be available for viewing on the National Palace Museum of Korea website and the YouTube channels of the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Museum. Moreover, a virtual reality (VR) component will be unveiled that allows a vivid experience of the exhibition.
* National Palace Museum of Korea website: www.gogung.go.kr
National Palace Museum of Korea YouTube: https://youtube.com/gogungmuseum
Cultural Heritage Administration YouTube: https://youtube.com/chluvu

Moreover, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation will host an online international academic event in conjunction with the exhibition bringing together representatives from the home institution of the artworks, experts on history and art history, and specialists who took part in the conservation treatment. The event is open to anyone who is interested and will be available for viewing online via the YouTube channel of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation.
* Period: September 7 (Tue) – October 8 (Fri), 2021
* Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/okchf

Visitors must make a timed reservation to view the exhibition in person. Reservations can be made online via the museum’s website or in person at the on-site ticket office. To reduce the potential for the spread of COVID-19, visitors must comply with the requirements in place, including making reservations. Guidelines for reservations are available on the museum’s website. In addition, visitors must wear a face covering, go through a temperature screening upon entry, and follow the designated one-way path through the gallery.

The Cultural Heritage Administration hopes that the special exhibition In Pursuit of the Aesthetic Legacy of the Goryeo Dynasty will offer an opportunity to discover the charms and meaning embodied in these Goryeo Dynasty artworks that have been newly restored to their original state through technology.

Division: The Exhibition & Publicity Department, National Palace Museum of Korea
            Cooperation and Promotion Department, Overseas Korean
            Cultural Heritage Foundation
            Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Contact person: Lim Kyoung Hee(02-3701-7631),
                     Kang Im San(02-6902-0731),
                     Jang Sung Yoon(042-860-9372)