Except for lacquered furniture, which was mostly reserved for the royal household and court members, very few pieces were painted in Korea during the Joseon dynasty. The taste of the period favored Neo-Confucian aesthetics that emphasized natural wood and restraint. In fact, sources and references on this subject are scarce. However some Korean antique furniture […]
Hanji (Korean: 한지/韓紙) is the traditional handmade paper from Korea. It is made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree or Hibiscus Namihot (also known by its current scientific name, Abelmoschus manihot) both native to Korea, which helps suspend the individual fibers in water. Despite being paper, Hanji is extremely tough, waterproof, and versatile. Because […]
Featured image on top of this post: Box with design of auspicious symbols, early 20th century.Ink and paint on ox horn panels on wood, ray skin, and metal.DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART MUSEUM, USA The term “hwagak” is derived from the words for flowers and horns, and it specifically pertains to the craft of inlaying ox […]
Korean lacquer has already been the subject of publications on this site. You can consult them at the following links: In this new article, we attempt to explore the main differences between the techniques and decorative motifs used during the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. Here are some famous mother-of-pearl inlay (Najeonchilgi) artifacts from the Goryeo […]
Mother-of-pearl, also known as nacre, is an inorganic composite material produced by certain mollusks as an inner shell layer, and accumulated in other shells, such as freshwater pearl mussels, in the form of pearls. It is very strong, resilient, and iridescent. It can be found in strains of mollusks in the class of “Bivalvia“, such as […]
In this publication, we delve into the technique of wood finishing for Korean furniture during the Joseon Dynasty. To the best of our knowledge, there is a scarcity of studies in English on this subject, necessitating our reliance on publications in Korean. Our hypotheses are formulated based on a thorough examination of numerous pieces, the […]
Inlaying, a method known as “ipsa” in Korean, involves cutting lines or grooves into metals like copper and iron, and then filling them with other metals such as gold, silver, and copper to create intricate patterns. Creating these grooves is a challenging task that demands hours of meticulous chiseling. In the art of ipsa, every […]
Lacquer, known as “ottchil” (옻칠) in Korean, is a natural paint that has been utilized in Asia since ancient times. Its properties, such as water and insect repellency, enhance the durability of objects while imbuing them with a beautiful luster. The application of lacquer is a time and labor-intensive process. Initially, it takes several months […]
Shagreen has been prized since the time of the pharaohs in Egypt and during the Chinese Han Dynasty (202 BC – AD 220). In China, it was used in the construction of bows. In Japan, shagreen has been well-documented and preserved since it began appearing on the sword hilts and armor of Japanese Samurai during […]