OVERVIEW OF THE QUALITY AND ANTIQUITY OF KOREAN FURNITURE IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS.

Earlier examples are rare due to the ravages of war, natural disasters, and Korea’s historical use of natural materials that degrade over time. Some older examples from the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) or earlier periods might be found but are exceedingly rare.

Retention of Earlier Pieces in Korea:

Older and more valuable pieces of furniture—such as those from the Goryeo Dynasty or early Joseon period—were often preserved in royal collections, temples, or by wealthy families. Today, many of these pieces are housed in Korean museums and cultural institutions, or featured in Korean exhibits in museums abroad, particularly in Japan and the United States.

The National Museum of Korea.

Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo, Japan):

Houses Korean furniture collected during Japan’s occupation of Korea (1910–1945), including rare antiques.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA):

Features Korean lacquerware furniture and other decorative arts, emphasizing their craftsmanship and aesthetic qualities.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, USA.

The British Museum, UK.

Features Korean furniture collected by European travelers and scholars during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Musee Guimet in Paris.

As direct contact with Europeans increased in the late 19th century, Korea was often approached as an ethnological subject within research on the regions of East Asia dedicated to China, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. Objects from Korea were initially collected based on this ethnological interest. The French ethnologist Charles Varat (1843–1893) was the first to exhibit a collection of Korean objects in Europe at the 1889 Paris Universal Exposition. These objects had been gathered during his mission to the Korean peninsula the previous year. Among them, he selected unique or representative items to showcase the traditional lifestyle of Koreans (Cambon and Musée Guimet, 2001).

Varat was less interested in artistic objects such as paintings, sculptures, or ceramics and focused more on costumes, religious ritual objects, and furniture. The Varat collection first entered the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro and later became part of the Musée Guimet, along with other items from East Asia. In 1893, Charles Varat and his Korean assistant, Hong Jeong Ou (1850–1913), identified, classified, and arranged the collection in an exhibition hall at the Musée Guimet dedicated to Korea. This was the first exhibition exclusively devoted to Korean objects by a European museum.

The display included period costumes and furniture, genre paintings and prints, Buddhist sculptures, and shamanistic paintings.

The exhibition was presented within an ethnographic context, such as recreating a scholar’s study, a wedding scene, and a mannequin dressed in a bureaucrat’s costume. Although this was the only way for French or European society to engage with the world of Korea at the time, the collection was not exhibited for long. Additionally, no permanent Korea specialist was employed at the museum. When the Musée Guimet was transformed into the National Museum of Asian Arts in the 1920s, only objects with aesthetic qualities were displayed. The majority of the Varat collection, consisting of ethnological objects, such as religious items and non-unique pieces, was placed in storage.

Wereld Museum in Leiden, Netherland

The National Museum of Ethnology (Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde) in Leiden, Netherlands, holds a significant Korean collection, with a focus on decorative arts and crafts from the late Joseon dynasty to the 20th century, according to the museum. The collection spans almost 1,000 objects and offers insights into Korean material culture, including clothing, daily utensils, and religious artifacts. 

The Grassi Museum in Leipzid, Netherland.

Early to mid Joseon pieces.

A number of pieces dating from the early to mid-Joseon Dynasty (1392 up to the mid-17th century) are exhibited in various museums around the world, primarily in Korea and the United States. These mostly consist of small lacquered boxes adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay.

Late Joseon pieces.

Today, most of the remaining relics of Joseon-era houses in the Republic of Korea date from the second half of this period, mainly the 19th century. Few elements from earlier periods have survived, with research relying on ruins, written documents, and sketches from the era. As a result, studies of residential spaces have primarily focused on houses from the later Joseon period, reinforcing a stereotyped image of traditional Korean houses associated with that era.

The Joseon Kingdom opened its doors to foreigners in 1876, thus breaking its long-standing isolationist policies.

Historical Upheavals and Losses.

Korea endured numerous wars and invasions, including the Japanese invasions of the late 16th century, the Manchu invasions of the 17th century, and the tumultuous late 19th century. Earlier furniture was often destroyed or repurposed during these times.

These collectors typically acquired contemporary or late Joseon furniture, as earlier pieces were either already part of private collections or too rare to be readily accessible.

Western Contact and Collecting.

Late 19th Century: Diplomats, Missionaries, and Scholars. Early Acquirers include:

Horace Allen: An American missionary and diplomat in Korea during the late 19th century. Allen was instrumental in fostering cultural exchanges between Korea and the West. While his primary focus was on Korean art and artifacts, his role helped spark Western interest in Korean culture, including furniture.

Percival Lowell: An American scholar and diplomat who visited Korea in the 1880s. Lowell wrote extensively about Korean society and may have acquired smaller decorative pieces during his time in Korea.

Following the signing of treaties such as the Korea–United States Treaty of 1882, Korea began to engage more with Western nations. This increased contact allowed Westerners to explore Korean culture, art, and artifacts, including furniture.

Western contact with Korea became more significant during the late 19th century. Missionaries, diplomats, and scholars began collecting Korean artifacts, including furniture, as Korea opened up to the world after centuries of isolation (referred to as the “Hermit Kingdom”).

Colonial Period and Exportation: Early 20th Century: Japanese Occupation.

During Japan’s colonial rule (1910-1945), many Korean artifacts, including furniture, were acquired by collectors from Japan and, subsequently, the West. This was facilitated by Japan’s administration, which documented and sometimes exported Korean cultural heritage.

Some of these artifacts ended up in Western collections through dealers and auctions in Japan.

Other Key Figures:

Western collectors such as missionaries and educators in Korea, including Dr. Horace Underwood, a prominent American missionary family in Korea, are known to have brought Korean artifacts, including furniture, back to the United States.

During Japan’s colonial rule over Korea (1910–1945), significant cultural artifacts, including furniture, were removed from Korea and distributed to collectors and museums abroad. Many of these artifacts were from the late Joseon period due to their availability and appeal.

Mid-20th Century: Post-War Interest & Korean war ear (1950-1953)

After the Korean War, Western military personnel, diplomats, and aid workers stationed in Korea became exposed to traditional Korean furniture. Some brought these pieces back home as souvenirs or collectibles.

Edward Reynolds Wright (1960s–1970s):

Edward Reynolds Wright, an American living in Korea in the 1960s and 1970s, amassed one of the largest collections of Korean furniture. His collection, now housed in the Weisman Art Museum, reflects a deep interest in preserving Korean cultural heritage during a time when traditional lifestyles were rapidly changing.

Which museum outside Korea possess the largest collections of Korean antique furniture?

Although the Weisman Art Museum (WAM) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA is best-known for its works in American Modernism, there are several unique features of the permanent collection that make WAM a special treasure. The Edward Reynolds Wright Collection of traditional Korean furniture is the largest collection outside of Asia.

Edward Reynolds Wright went to Seoul, South Korea, in 1967 to become the head of the Korean-American Educational (Fullbright) Commission. During the 11 years Wright lived in South Korea, he amassed a huge collection of Korean furniture, something that would not be possible to achieve today.

Several circumstances were crucial for this collection to form. With the Korean War ending in 1953, South Korea experienced a turbulent political atmosphere throughout the remainder of 1960s, driving many people to migrate to urban areas like Seoul. As urban spaces became more crowded in the aftermath of the war, original inhabitants were displaced and forced to sell their belongings in order to survive.

Over time, Wright, who was living Seoul, developed a keen eye for authenticity and worked to aggregate a collection of refined Korean furniture. As he traveled the world teaching, he kept his collection in a dingy San Francisco warehouse. Upon his death in 1988, his estate came to the University of Minnesota foundation and his furniture entered the collection of the Weisman Art Museum, as was his wish.

The collection includes about 200 examples of traditional furniture pieces, such as wardrobes, chests, and tables, primarily from the late Joseon Dynasty (18th and 19th centuries).

Conclusion.

The predominance of late Joseon furniture in global museum collections reflects a mix of historical availability, accessibility, and the appeal of this period’s craftsmanship. While earlier pieces exist, they are rare, often preserved in Korea, and less likely to have been exported during the height of Western collecting activities.

Western museums and collectors often prioritized the craftsmanship and cultural narrative of late Joseon furniture rather than seeking older pieces. Late Joseon furniture was seen as representative of traditional Korean life and values.

LINKS: Korean Art & Galleries around the World.

Arts de la Coree.