National Museum of Korea to Hold 'Lee Kun-hee Collection' Masterpiece Exhibition on the 21st... Featuring Works from the Bronze Age to the Joseon Dynasty

Gyeomjae Jeong Seon's 'Inwang Jesaekdo'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] The National Museum of Korea announced on the 20th that it will hold a special exhibition titled "Enjoying Great Cultural Heritage Together - Chairman Lee Kun-hee Donation Masterpieces Exhibition" from the 21st to September 26, showcasing items donated by the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

This exhibition will display 45 masterpieces (77 pieces) representing different eras and fields from Chairman Lee Kun-hee's donated collection. The purpose of this exhibition is to introduce the public to representative works that reflect Chairman Lee's philosophy and the nature of his traditional cultural heritage collection.

Key works include "Inwangjesaekdo" by Geomjae Jeong Seon (1676?1759), considered a masterpiece; "Ilgwang Samjon Sang" (National Treasure No. 134), which shows the delicacy of gilt-bronze Buddhist statues from the Three Kingdoms period; the exquisite calligraphy and painting of the Goryeo Dynasty sutra "Daebangwangbul Hwaeomgyeong Bohyeonhaengwonpum" (National Treasure No. 235); the only existing "Cheonsu Gwaneum Bosaldo"; and "Chuseongbudo" (Treasure No. 1393), painted in his later years by Danwon Kim Hong-do (1757?1806?).

The exhibition focuses on the diversity of the Lee Kun-hee collection. The actual works cover a broad spectrum including Bronze Age and Early Iron Age pottery and bronze artifacts, gilt-bronze Buddhist statues and pottery from the Three Kingdoms period, Goryeo Dynasty texts, sutras, Buddhist artworks, celadon, and Joseon Dynasty texts, paintings, ceramics, and wooden furniture.

Red slip pottery jar made during the Bronze Age.

Among the masterpieces are Bronze Age pottery with a beautiful red luster achieved by applying iron oxide called "Red Slip Pottery," Early Iron Age bronze "Bronze Bell" (National Treasure No. 255) symbolizing power at the time, Three Kingdoms period pottery shaped like a boat, the elegant "Bodhisattva Statue" (Treasure No. 780) showing the beauty of Three Kingdoms sculpture, the "Twin Dragon Pattern Sword Handle Ornament" (Treasure No. 776) demonstrating advanced goldsmithing skills of the era, and the Joseon white porcelain "Blue and White Landscape Pattern Bottle" (Treasure No. 1390) with its generous form and harmonious patterns. These masterpieces showcase the highest level of technology and design of their time. They also embody the cultural changes brought by new material development and technological innovation, as well as an aesthetic pursuit of beautiful design.

Chairman Lee Kun-hee showed great interest in Korean cultural heritage of national treasure level located overseas and played a significant role in bringing many Goryeo Buddhist paintings back to Korea. Two Goryeo Buddhist paintings are included in this exhibition: "Cheonsu Gwaneum Bosaldo" and "Suwol Gwaneumdo," both demonstrating the delicate beauty unique to Goryeo Buddhist paintings.

Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Painting.

Additionally, works such as "Seokbosangjeol" and "Worinseokbo," which show the efforts and achievements in the creation of Hangul by King Sejong University, will also be exhibited. Through these, visitors can observe 15th-century Korean language and Hunminjeongeum orthography, as well as the design level of Hangul and Chinese character typefaces.

Facilities have been prepared to highlight the value of the donated items using modern technology. For example, "Inwangjesaekdo" is displayed on a 98-inch large screen where visitors can experience the scenery of Inwangsan Mountain clearing after rain through video. Additionally, infrared and X-ray photographs of Goryeo Buddhist paintings, which are difficult to see with the naked eye, can be viewed on a touch screen video.

A National Museum of Korea official stated, "Chairman Lee Kun-hee devoted himself to collecting and preserving cultural heritage with a sense of mission for the development of our culture," adding, "We hope this donation masterpieces exhibition will be an opportunity to reflect on the efforts of predecessors who created masterpieces with outstanding technology and design, and the philosophy of the donor who preserved these masterpieces."