HISTORY OF KOREAN ART 1

This course is a related and complementary subject within the Korean track of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa.
The course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the historical development of Korean art from the Neolithic period through the Three Kingdoms period, Goryeo, Joseon, the transitional and modern periods, up to contemporary art (ca. 8000 BCE – 2000 CE).
Students will examine major artworks and architectural monuments from each historical phase, including sculpture, ceramics, painting, crafts, and religious art, in order to understand the fundamental concepts and stylistic characteristics of each period.

Note: the course is conducted in ENGLISH.

Through class attendance (strongly recommended) and careful study of the assigned readings and materials provided by the instructor, students will acquire a broad and structured understanding of the development of Korean art history from prehistory to approximately the mid-20th century.
In particular:

Knowledge and Understanding
1. Students will develop knowledge of:
* the general characteristics of ancient and premodern Korean art through representative objects and monuments
* basic iconography and symbolism, and the philosophical, religious, cultural, and social elements reflected in artworks
* the chronological development of production techniques, styles, and schools, and the interaction among different artistic genres
* specialized terminology specific to Korean art history

2. Applying Knowledge and Understanding
Students will be able to:
* understand and analyze Korean artworks and monuments within broader artistic and cultural contexts, and distinguish their specific features from those of other Asian traditions
* express art historical analysis clearly and accurately using appropriate academic terminology

3. Judgment Skills
The course provides foundational tools to recognize and contextualize artworks and monuments from the Neolithic period to contemporary art. Students will learn to interpret works within their original contexts by addressing how, why, where, when, by whom, and for whom they were produced, what they represent, and how Korean art developed historically.

4. Learning Skills
Students will develop the ability to further investigate Korean art historical topics through:
*bibliographic research
*primary and secondary sources
*visual analysis
*museum collection studies

None. However, it is assumed that Korean langua None.
However, it is assumed that students in the Korean track have already taken or are concurrently taking courses in literature, history, or philosophy. Such background knowledge, including familiarity with other East and North Asian cultures, will support faster understanding of topics discussed in class.

Korean art should not be understood merely as a branch of East Asian art, but as an artistic tradition that developed independently within Korea’s own cultural values, spiritual outlook, and way of life. This course surveys the chronological development of Korean art from prehistory to the contemporary period across a 15-week program. Classes are primarily image-based and focus on the visual analysis of key works — including Buncheong ceramics, white porcelain, Buddhist art, painting, and crafts — interpreted through a consistent methodological framework to support a humanistic understanding of Korean aesthetics and cultural identity.

The course follows a chronological structure:
Prehistoric Art (Paleolithic to Bronze Age) (c. 8000 – c. 300 BCE)
Three Kingdoms Period (Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla) (1st century BCE – 668 CE)
Unified Silla and Balhae (668–935)
Goryeo Period (918–1392)
Joseon Period (1392–1910)
Transitional Period (1910–1945)
Modern Period (1945–Present)

All volumes used as required texts are available for consultation in the designated “Textbooks” section located at the front office of the East Asian Library, Palazzo Vendramin, 1st floor.

For geographic and chronological orientation of East Asia, refer to: Barnes, Gina L., Archaeology of East Asia: The Rise of Civilization in China, Korea and Japan, Oxbow Books, Oxford 2015, Chapter I – Orientation: pp. XVI–XVII (chronological tables), 1–7 (Grounding / National chronologies), 13–25 (East Asian cultural successions). The indicated sections are also accessible at the following internet address:
https://books.google.it/books?id=bAJDCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=it#v=onepage&q&f=false

MANDATORY
The adopted textbook is still one of the best references for framing the history of Korean art.
If desired, it can be purchased online at a price ranging roughly from €5 to €10 (shipping excluded): Portal, Jane, Korea – Art and Archaeology, The Trustees of The British Museum, London 2000. Required: pp. 9–11, 20–107 + Appendix 1, pp. 215–227 (excluding information concerning Joseon ceramics).
However, since the textbook is rather limited in content and in some respects dated, it must be supplemented with other materials that better frame certain topics and expand others, while at the same time providing alternative perspectives for approaching research:

Choi, Jongtaik, “The Development of the Pottery Technologies of the Korean Peninsula and Their Relationship to Neighbouring Regions”. In Byington, Mark E. (ed.), Early Korea 1. Reconsidering Early Korean History Through Archaeology, Harvard University, Cambridge (MA) 2008, pp. 157-198.
Chung, Woothak, “Iconography, Technique, and Context in Koryŏ Buddhist Paintings” (escluso il paragrafo Iconographic Succession from Koryŏ to Chŏson) + Joo, Kyeongmi, “The Gold Jewelry of Ancient Silla: Syncretism of Northern and Southern Asian Cultures”. In Kim, Youn-mi (ed.), Early Korea Project Occasional Series. New Perspectives on Early Korean Art: From Silla to Koryŏ, Harvard University, Cambridge (MA) 2013, pp. 11-40, 50-72, 243-302.
Kim, Sunkyung, “Sculptures of the Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla” + Choi, Sun-ah, “Koryŏ Buddhist Sculpture: Issues and History”. In Park, J.P. – Jungmann, Burglind – Rhi, Juhyung (ed.), A companion to Korean art, John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken (NJ) 2020, pp. 57-82, 159-178.
Park, J.P., Burglind Jungmann, Juhyung Rhi (eds). 2020. A Companion to Korean Art. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
The Arts of Korea: A Resource for Educators — Elizabeth Hammer (ed.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2001.
Available for free download: https://www.metmuseum.org/met-publications/the-arts-of-korea-a-resource-for-educators

FURTHER READINGS:
Kim, Hongnam. The Story of a Painting: A Korean Buddhist Treasure from the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation. New York: Asia Society Gallery, 1991.
Hammer, Elizabeth (ed.), The Arts of Korea. A Resource for Educators, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 2001. Scaricabile gratuitamente da: https://www.metmuseum.org/met-publications/the-arts-of-korea-a-resource-for-educators
Kim, Kumja Paik, Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918-1392, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco 2003.
Korean Art Book series, Published by Yekyong, (English Translation), 2004
Kim, Lena. Buddhist Sculpture of Korea (Korean Culture Series), Hollym, Elizabeth (NJ) 2007.
Starkman, Christine (ed.), Tradition and Innovation in Korean Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 2014. Scaricabile gratuitamente da: https://www.mfah.org/research/kinder-foundation-education-center/kinder-foundation-gallery-resources
Soowan Joo, Sansa Buddhist Mountain Monasteries, Published by Jogyejong Publi

Student knowledge and skills are evaluated through a 45-minute written exam consisting of:
1. Identification and iconographic, typological, and technical analysis of one artwork or monument, including its historical, social, and cultural context
2. Identification of four artworks or monuments with brief reasoned explanations
3. Five multiple-choice or short-answer questions

* The written exam will be held in ENGLISH.

written

The final grade (minimum 18/30, maximum 30/30) is determined by the sum of the scores obtained in the three exam sections.

Lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations.
In the 2025–26 academic year, the course will be taught in ENGLISH.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, the course will run from February 2026 until May 15, 2026. Three Saturday intensive sessions will also be scheduled within this period.
Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended. Recording or photographing PowerPoint materials is not permitted during class; therefore, regular attendance is highly encouraged.