Special Exhibitions
Past ExhibitionOttchil(lacquer) the Color and Light of Ancient Artifacts
- Period2019-06-25 ~ 2019-09-29
- Place
- Organizer
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Introduction
Lacquer is a natural pigment used for decorative and protective coating since thousands of years ago. It has been a great gift given to humankind by nature, helping them create an attractive surface for various objects and protect it.
Today, however, it has lost much of its value due to chemical pigments
that are much cheaper and more versatile.
Despite its close relationship with Korean culture throughout history,
we have not paid enough attention to the origin and development of the pigment.
This exhibition on natural lacquer, inspired by a reflection on the unjustness of neglect, aims to shed new light on the great aesthetic and practical value of this age-old pigment.
Some of the lacquerware in this exhibition may have their surface cracked or peeled off, but they still retain traces of the glory they relished for several thousand years.
This exhibition is expected to contribute to the promotion of public awareness of the value of lacquerware, which has been a crucial part of Korean cultural heritage.
I. What is Ottchil?
The Korean word Ottchil refers to either lacquer a glossy, resinous sap of the lacquer tree used as surface coating or to the act of coating the surface of a wooden object with lacquer for decoration or protection. Painting the surface of an object with lacquer results in the creation of a thin layer of coating that helps the object have attractive luster and effective protection from water, heat, and decay. That is why people across East Asia have continued to use it for several thousand years despite the fact that it can cause skin problems.
History shows that lacquer has been used since the prehistoric times for a great variety of media, including wood, metal, fabric, clay, and leather. Properly applied, lacquer can effectively make up for the weakness of the media. The art of lacquering has been developed and preserved in Southeast Asia and East Asia largely because it is only here that the lacquer tree is naturally grown. The development of the art of lacquerware making in Korea is primarily attributed to the lacquer trees naturally grown across the Korean Peninsula.
II. History of Lacquerware Making in Korea
The history of lacquerware making in Korea is known to have started in the Bronze Age, although it was during the Samhan Period (ca. 1st c. BCE - 3rd c.) that Korea established its own style and techniques in the art of lacquerware.
The art of lacquerware making during the Three Kingdoms Period (ca. 1st c. BCE - 7th c.) saw a great achievement on the basis of the legacy from the artisans of Samhan and Nakrang (108 BCE - 313). Lacquerware artifacts produced during this period and which remain today include armors and weaponry and head and feet rests for the deceased royals as well as daily articles. Artisans in the following Unified Silla period (676-935) developed the pyeongtal (or pingtuo) technique, which wielded great influence on the art of lacquerware in Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910). The luxurious and splendid ottchil vessels made in the Unified Silla period using the pyeongtal technique were produced only for the upper 4 head ranks.
III. Lacquerware in the Daily Life of Korean People in the Past
The art of lacquering in Korea has been applied to the production of a variety of objects, from items of daily use to military supplies and vessels used for religious events. Some of these lacquered artifacts were elaborately decorated with a variety of symbolic motifs including auspicious characters, representing the ideals and aspirations of Korean people in the past.
The art of lacquerware was also applied to the production of military equipment, including armors and weapons, to increase their lifespan and express the dignity of those who used them.
Lacquerware were also buried with the dead. It shows the mind of the people in the past who wanted to bury what were most cherished by the dead by lacquering the objects they would use in the afterlife. The art of lacquering has since ancient times been rooted deeply in the lives of people working in a variety of fields.
IV. Lacquerware of Goryeo and Joseon
The art of lacquerware introduced to Korea in the ancient times was transmitted to later Korean kingdoms as well as the dynasties of Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910), during which it was applied not only to the traditional type of lacquerware but also to the wooden household items inlaid with mother-of-pearl designs. The traditional lacquerware art in the Goryeo period is represented by the wooden lacquerware coated with ramie, a Goryeo work discovered at the Hyeeumwonji in Paju. In the following Joseon period, royal households favored red-lacquered furniture, whereas government offices preferred black-lacquered items.
The art of lacquerware of Goryeo and Joseon was widely praised for its combined use with the mother-of-pearl inlaying technique wherein lacquer coating was used to highlight the designs made by inlaying mother-of-pearl pieces. The production of lacquerware by Goryeo and Joseon artisans required a process consisting of background lacquering, application of a mother-of-pearl design, second lacquering, and removal of lacquer from the decorative design to highlight it. The lacquerware of Goryeo were so highly regarded that they formed an essential part of the tributary gifts sent to Chinese emperors. In the Joseon period, preferred motifs used to decorate lacquerware included flowers, birds, fruits, and scenic natural landscapes. The art was applied more extensively in the late Joseon period, producing a greater variety of daily items for ordinary households as well as aristocrats.
Conclusion
Art exhibitions always urge us to prepare ourselves for new challenges.
What is new makes our heart throb with expectations and excitements.
Lacquerware from the ancient times give us a fine example.
They are so old that they appear strange and foreign to us who are living in the modern period.
The age-old art of lacquerware is now renewing itself,
going beyond the scope of practicality to the world of pure art.
Our world today is full of what is new. How then has this ancient art come to attract our attention as new? It is because what is new sprouts from what is old.
We who are living in the modern world tend to pursue luxury and excitement only.
We hope that this exhibition of ancient treasures will provide viewers with an opportunity to face what is truly new because of their old age.
공공저작물 자유이용 허락 표시
공공누리 4유형: 출처 표시 + 상업적 이용금지 + 변경금지