Joseon-Era Paintings and Calligraphy Return After 500 Years... First Public Unveiling at POSCO Museum of Art

First Public Unveiling of the Yuhyeonjae Collection
Exhibition of 51 Joseon-Era Paintings and Calligraphy
Featuring Masterpieces by Kim Hongdo and Kim Myeongguk

After approximately 500 years, Joseon-era paintings and calligraphy that remained in Japan have returned to their homeland and will be unveiled to the public for the first time.

On August 20, POSCO Museum of Art announced that it will hold a special exhibition titled 'The Hidden Chapter - Joseon Paintings and Calligraphy Returning After Five Hundred Years' at POSCO Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from August 19 to November 9.

Poster for the special exhibition 'The Hidden Chapter - Joseon Paintings and Calligraphy Returning After Five Hundred Years' held at POSCO Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Provided by POSCO Holdings

This exhibition will feature 51 pieces of old Korean paintings and calligraphy collected over a lifetime by Irie Takeo, who operated the antique art dealer Yicho-dang in Kyoto, Japan. Known as the 'Yuhyeonjae Collection'-named after the sobriquet 'Yuhyeonjae' that Irie attached to his residence-these works are being presented to the public for the first time since being repatriated to Korea.

The POSCO Museum of Art stated, "The Yuhyeonjae Collection encompasses paintings from the early Joseon period to modern times, and is expected to contribute to the study of Korean old paintings and calligraphy, which has long had significant gaps in art historical research."

Highlights of the exhibition include 'Portrait of Bodhidharma' by Yeondam Kim Myeongguk, who twice traveled to Japan as a painter for the Joseon Tongsinsa, and 'Six-Panel Folding Screen of Lifelong Paintings' by Danwon Kim Hongdo. Amid renewed interest in folk paintings of tigers, 'Tiger Under the Pine Tree' by Jeongjae Hong Jangjung also draws attention, featuring a tiger realistically depicted beneath a pine tree.

While the POSCO Museum of Art has primarily focused on contemporary art exhibitions, it has recently begun to showcase traditional art as well, seeking to promote artistic exchange across genres. A museum official stated, "This exhibition will serve as an opportunity to discover hidden chapters of Joseon paintings and calligraphy and to re-examine their place in art history," adding, "We have organized the exhibition so that visitors can appreciate our traditional paintings and calligraphy more easily and intimately."

Meanwhile, since 2014, the POSCO Museum of Art has held the 'Emerging Artists Competition' to discover new talent, and last year hosted the 'Ha Taeim Invitational Exhibition' to spotlight established artists. In addition, the museum continues to operate exhibition interpretation programs and strives to broaden public enjoyment of culture and the arts.