Lehman Collection from the Metropolitan Museum Comes to Korea
81 Works Unveiled at the National Museum of Korea
First Overseas Exhibition for Most of the Lehman Collection in Korea
Koreans' Special Affection for Impressionism: Four Exhibitions This Year
Director Yoo Hongjun: "An Exhibition Elevating Korea's Global Standing"
"This exhibition is significant because it allows visitors to enjoy paintings that are difficult to see even at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a testament to Korea's rising stature." - Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea
On the morning of the 13th, at Special Exhibition Hall 1 of the National Museum of Korea, Director Yoo Hongjun is speaking at the press conference for the exhibition "From Impressionism to Early Modernism, Collectors of Light." Photo by Seo Mideum
At the press conference for the exhibition "From Impressionism to Early Modernism, Collectors of Light," held on the morning of the 13th at Special Exhibition Hall 1 of the National Museum of Korea, Director Yoo could not hide his excitement. The exhibition features 81 paintings, drawings, and prints, including Auguste Renoir's "Two Girls at the Piano" and Vincent van Gogh's "Blossoming Orchard." Notably, 65 works from the Lehman Collection are being shown outside the United States for the first time. Max Hollein, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, explained, "It is a very special endeavor to organize an exhibition of this scale, as even a single loan from the Lehman Collection has rarely occurred."
This exhibition was organized around the "Robert Lehman Collection" of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, with the National Museum of Korea collaborating to reconfigure it for Korean audiences. Most of the exhibited works belong to the Lehman Collection, one of the Metropolitan Museum's signature holdings.
The "Robert Lehman Collection" is an extensive assemblage that began in the 1910s with Philip Lehman (1861-1947) and continued for two generations through Robert Lehman (1891-1969). Robert Lehman was especially passionate about French paintings from the late 19th to early 20th centuries-Impressionism and the movements that followed. An independent collector who selected works based on his own discerning eye rather than expert advice, his exceptional taste helped shape what is now one of the world's most renowned collections at the Metropolitan Museum. This exhibition highlights both the artistic essence of Impressionism, which Lehman valued, and his collecting philosophy, inviting visitors to experience the new world of art opened by Impressionism through the eyes of a single collector.
The exhibition begins with Impressionism because it is the most beloved art movement among Koreans. Over the past decade, it has been featured in more than eight major museum exhibitions, with four Impressionist shows held just this year. Curator Yang Seungmi explained, "The bright and diverse colors provide visual delight, and the landscapes in these works uplift the viewer's mood. Since the artists' personalities are so distinct, visitors can choose works that match their own tastes and enjoy them accordingly."
At the entrance to the exhibition, visitors are greeted by Salvador Dali's "Woman Knitting Lace." This calm depiction of a woman by the pioneer of Surrealism is a reinterpretation of Johannes Vermeer's 17th-century masterpiece "The Lacemaker." Robert Lehman personally commissioned Dali to create the work, knowing Dali's deep appreciation for Vermeer, in order to fill a gap in the Lehman Collection. Curator Yang explained, "This work, which goes beyond mere imitation, clearly demonstrates the Lehman Collection's aim to acquire masterpieces by great artists."
The exhibition also explores nudes that move away from the idealized human form of myth and history, instead delving into the realistic and sensual body. Through works such as "Bathing People," it illustrates how the nude became a field for experimentation, depicting the human figure in nature where ideals and reality intersect.
Portraits, once the exclusive domain of the upper class, have expanded beyond symbols of wealth and honor to become individualized and freely expressive depictions of people. The invention of photography, which eliminated the need for realistic representation, was a decisive turning point.
Furthermore, female portraits by male artists indirectly reflect the changing social status and roles of women in the late 19th century. The traditional focus on idealized femininity or motherhood gradually gave way to portrayals of independent, modern women with distinct personalities and emotions. Works such as Auguste Renoir's "Two Girls at the Piano" and Pierre-Auguste Cot's "Spring" capture the coexistence of traditional beauty and change in the art of the time.
The exhibition also addresses how the development of railroads and innovations in outdoor painting tools led artists to perceive nature in new ways. Camille Pissarro's "Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning" and "The Harvest at Pontoise" convey the vibrancy of modern urban life and the weight of rural labor, respectively. Alfred Sisley's "Avenue of Chestnut Trees" vividly depicts the changing landscapes of the city, suburbs, and countryside following the mid-19th century redevelopment of Paris. Curators noted that the colors in Vincent van Gogh's "Blossoming Orchard" are impossible to fully capture on camera, making it essential to view the work in person.
On the exhibition's opening day, November 14, at 2:00 p.m., Alison Nogueira, curator of the Metropolitan Museum's Lehman Collection, will give a lecture titled "The Legacy of Robert Lehman: 19th-20th Century French Masterpieces Donated to the Metropolitan Museum" at the main auditorium of the National Museum of Korea. Admission is first-come, first-served, with no advance reservation required.
That same day at 8:00 p.m., curator Yang Seungmi will host a live broadcast offering a special exhibition tour on the National Museum of Korea's YouTube channel.
Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, said, "This exhibition is a meaningful opportunity to introduce important trends in world art history to Korea through collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I hope visitors will experience how light transformed art and feel the renewed vitality of art through these works." The exhibition runs through March 15 of next year.
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