Accessible Exhibition Text – Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared

This page reproduces all wall text and case labels for the exhibition Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared. All content on this page can be read by screen readers and resized using your browser’s controls. We hope that this resource benefits our visitors who are blind or have low vision, as well as anyone who wants to experience the exhibition beyond the museum’s walls.

Main panel

Collecting is a timeless passion—an enduring way to preserve memories, express one’s taste, and safeguard traditions for generations to come. Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared honors this practice by presenting a remarkable selection of masterpieces generously donated to the Korean nation by the family of Lee Kun-Hee, the late chairman of Samsung Group. Given in 2021, the gift of more than 23,000 artworks was unprecedented in both scale and significance. Though donated in his name and known as the Lee Kun-Hee Collection, the holdings are the result of over seventy years of generational collecting by his father, Samsung founder Lee Byung-Chull; the late chairman himself; and his wife, Hong Ra-Hee.

Spanning ancient times to the present, the works featured in this exhibition embody the depth and diversity of Korea’s artistic legacy. Once held in private, these treasures now belong to the public, reflecting the Lee family’s profound commitment to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage and making it accessible to all.

The objects on view were originally created for a range of settings, including royal palaces, Buddhist temples, Confucian academies, scholars’ studios, and modern art spaces. Together, the works trace the evolution of Korean innovation, revealing shifts in style, power, belief, and technology over time. In Korean Treasures, the voices of those who made, used, and collected paintings and objects are displayed through letters, inscriptions, dedications, and quotations—offering glimpses into their lives and insights into the meanings these objects held before and now.

Area 1

Treasuring Art and Culture

The Lee family, like collectors worldwide, has enjoyed finding objects that possess meaning and beauty. The works of art in this gallery, all formerly owned by the Lee family, illustrate how other Koreans have collected art and enjoyed their possessions. The opulent nineteenth-century screen exhibits a combination of rare books, scholarly objects like brushes and seals, and antiques and curiosities imported from China—all shown on shelves as if displayed in a private study. The modest ink painting to the left is an early twentieth-century still life featuring an ancient Korean ceramic rather than a foreign rarity, illustrating the artist’s interest in a remote indigenous past. And the array of works behind you shows how late Joseon-dynasty porcelain storage jars became coveted collectibles and symbols of an esteemed Korean aesthetic after Korean independence in 1945.

This exhibition is designed to celebrate both the Lee family’s gift to the Korean nation and the original sponsors, makers, and users associated with the objects on display. The following galleries are designed to recontextualize collected paintings and objects, showing them in association with the types of works that originally surrounded them.

Area 2

Neo-Confucian Leaders of Joseon

Founded in the late fourteenth century, the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) established a monarchy shaped by Neo-Confucianism—a philosophical tradition rooted in the teachings of Confucius (551–479 BCE) that sought to harmonize virtue with a cosmic order and principles of righteous governance. While kings held ultimate authority, their rule depended on collaboration with civil and military officials—members of the scholar-gentry (yangban) selected through rigorous examinations. The balance between royal power and the counsel of appointed officials defined Joseon’s enduring political and cultural order.

Works on display here highlight how Joseon officials embodied Neo-Confucian ideals, fostering a society that upheld ethical integrity, rational inquiry, and self-cultivation. Portraiture played a vital role in honoring their loyalty and service, while intellectual gatherings reinforced elite networks and a shared cultural identity. Neo-Confucian academies functioned as centers of learning and ritual practice, shaping the ideals and tastes of the ruling class. Together, these individuals and institutions maintained the moral and ideological framework of the Joseon dynasty, leaving a legacy of one of Korea’s most enduring periods.

Area 3

Sarangbang: Scholars at Home

At the heart of Neo-Confucian practice during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) was the sarangbang—a private study where scholars engaged in self-cultivation beyond their official duties. For the ruling elite, the sarangbang served as a space for reading, writing, quiet contemplation, and the disciplined pursuit of Confucian ideals.

Far more than a practical room, the sarangbang reflected the refined tastes and moral values of the literati, or educated men. On display here are modest yet finely crafted furnishings, scholarly desk objects, personal writings, and paintings that embody themes favored by these scholars.

While the sarangbang symbolized male scholarship and status, the domestic sphere was also shaped by the often-overlooked experiences of women. By presenting these contrasting perspectives, this gallery invites reflection on how the daily lives of both men and women were deeply influenced by Confucian principles.

Area 4

Art at the Joseon Court

The new rulers of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) established their capital at Hanyang (the location of modern-day Seoul), about forty-five miles south of the Goryeo dynasty capital at Gaesong (now in North Korea). Two of the early Joseon palaces—Gyeongbokgung, first built in 1395, and Changdeokgung, begun in 1405—are illustrated in paintings displayed in this gallery. The sophistication of Joseon court culture is reflected in elegantly crafted furniture, refined ceramics, ritual and ceremonial objects, and remarkable paintings produced for decorative, documentary, and didactic use. All of these pieces were produced by painters, craftsmen, and other specialists employed by government agencies.

The Joseon dynasty’s extraordinary length is usually divided in half, split by devastating Japanese invasions led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–1598) in 1592 and 1597. The destruction and looting brought on by these military campaigns mean that fewer works of early Joseon art remain in Korea. Most of the works shown here were made in the second half of the dynasty.

Area 5

Buddhism at the Joseon Court

After establishing control over the Korean Peninsula, the new Joseon administration officially ended earlier state sponsorship of Buddhism, instead promoting Neo-Confucian principles and practices. The rare sutras and devotional images on display here show that exquisite Buddhist art made with expensive materials was still being created for believers in the Joseon court. Many of these works were commissioned by faithful queens, consorts, or court ladies. This gallery also features early texts in Hangeul, the Korean script established during King Sejong’s reign (1418–50), demonstrating the link between Buddhist teachings and the promotion of literacy. Withdrawal of elite financial patronage forced Buddhist temples to close or identify new systems of support among commoners. The resulting changes in the faith and its art are addressed in a gallery downstairs.

Area 6

A Legacy in Clay

Ceramics are a harmonious blend of earth, fire, and human craftsmanship—an art shaped by centuries of knowledge. A major milestone in this history is celadon, which reflects both artistic sophistication and technological advancement through high-temperature kiln firing. This innovation paved the way for porcelain, prized for its strength, whiteness, and refined beauty.

Korea’s ceramic tradition flourished during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), when potters developed a distinctive ware admired for its elegant forms, soft jade-green glaze known as bisaek, and intricate inlay technique. By the twelfth century, Korea’s celadon was esteemed even in China, where green-glazed wares were first developed.

With the rise of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), artistic tastes shifted. The Goryeo dynasty’s refined celadon gave way to the bold designs of buncheong ware, and later, to the serene white porcelain that reflected Neo-Confucian ideals of purity and simplicity. These evolving traditions together reflect a rich ceramic heritage spanning over one thousand years of Korean history.

Area 7

Art for Temples

Buddhism, which originated in India, was introduced to the Korean Peninsula through China in the fourth century. Early imported Buddhist images inspired the local creation of artworks crafted from materials such as stone, wood, and clay as well as iron, bronze, and other metal alloys—showcasing the era’s technological skill. Paintings were rendered on silk, hemp, cotton, and paper, while additional forms of devotion included sacred texts and ritual implements used in ceremonies.

From the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–676 CE) through the Unified Silla (676–935) and Balhae (698–926) kingdoms, and especially during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), Buddhism flourished with strong royal and aristocratic patronage. Grand temples and exquisite artworks expressed both religious faith and political authority. Although the rise of Neo-Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) led to a decline in official support, Buddhism endured through the resilience of monastic communities and lay followers. Today, Buddhism continues to be a vibrant and enduring part of Korea’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

Area 8

Painting Nature

Depicting mountains and rivers has long reflected a deep reverence for nature in Korea and throughout East Asia. In the early Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), artists often created imagined or idealized landscapes that symbolized inner harmony, self-cultivation, and withdrawal from worldly concerns. By the late seventeenth century, as travel became increasingly popular among the educated class amid growing economic stability, a new artistic movement emerged. Known as “true-view” landscape painting (jingyeong sansuhwa), it was pioneered by artists such as Jeong Seon (1676–1759) and emphasized direct observation of Korea’s natural scenery, bringing a new sense of realism and individual expression to landscape art.

Landscape painting was practiced by both professional artists and scholar-amateurs, often called literati painters, who frequently combined painting, poetry, and calligraphy as forms of personal and intellectual reflection. In this gallery, depictions of mountains, trees, rivers, plants, and animals show the lasting inspiration Joseon painters drew from nature.

Area 9

Transcending Tradition

Artists in twentieth-century Korea pursued a new artistic language amidst the turbulence of colonial rule, war, and reconstruction. As the traditional mode of appreciating art in more intimate or exclusive settings was eclipsed by modern academies, beginning in the 1910s, Korean artists were systematically trained in Western painting styles. Public exhibitions and independent artist associations in Japan and Korea generated wider exposure to international movements in modern art. Artists increasingly traveled abroad to Europe and the United States, seeking ways to synthesize Western techniques and concepts with traditional art forms such as ink painting and calligraphy.

Earlier generation artists, including Lee Sangbeom (1897–1972), Byeon Gwansik (1899–1976), Paik Namsoon (1904–1994), and Lee Ungno (1904–1989), all of whom have work on view here, laid the foundation for decades of intensive exploration of style, medium, and subject matter in Korean painting. By the mid-1950s, representational art gave way to radical experimentation with materials and techniques. This gallery also presents works by artists whose unconventional approaches to ink, oil, and paper pushed the boundaries of painting and notions of Korean culture in a modernizing world.

Area 10

The Lee Family As Collectors

This gallery reimagines the traditional chaekgado—screen paintings depicting books and treasured objects arranged in a bookcase—through a single, densely arranged display case. Evoking a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, the installation highlights the breadth and diversity of the Lee family’s collection, featuring works from different periods of Korean history and even extending to China.

As shown in this gallery and throughout the exhibition, the Lee Kun-Hee Collection reflects the family’s shared passion for art, rigorous study, and deep commitment to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage. This philanthropic spirit continues a long tradition of supporting the arts, exemplified by the founding of the Hoam Museum of Art in 1982 and the Leeum Museum of Art in 2004. In 2021, the family donated more than 23,000 artworks to the Korean nation—an unprecedented gift in both scale and significance. By sharing this extraordinary legacy with the public, the Lee family has fostered a deeper appreciation of Korea’s cultural heritage at home and around the world.