Traditional and Contemporary Korean Art from the Mattielli & JSMA Collections

The JSMA houses almost 400 Korean objects of various media spanning the fifth through the twenty-first centuries. This installation features distinguished examples of Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) through contemporary calligraphy and painting as well as a selection of contemporary Korean ceramics drawn from the JSMA and the distinguished private collection of Robert and Sandra Mattielli. One section is devoted to the theme of chaekkori (scholar’s accouterments)—a painting genre in which playful illusionistic depictions of piled books, art objects, and traditional literati paraphernalia are rendered to create the impression that the objects exist in three-dimensional space. A rare preparatory drawing for such a chaekkori is displayed between two finished screen paintings and a case filled with samples of some of the depicted items. Also featured are two recent Korean acquisitions: a magnificent ten-panel Screen of Classical Chinese Poems by celebrated calligrapher Jung Hyunbok (1909–73) and a whimsical contemporary ink landscape by Her Suyoung (born 1972). This special presentation is made possible with support from the Farwest Steel Endowment Fund.