Korean art can be traced all the way back to the stone age. Artists used traditional art styles, motifs, and techniques that deliver beautiful simplicity blended with a harmony of the natural world. The aesthetics of the traditional Korean art found in many museums across the world are inspired heavily by both Chinese and Japanese art. The many styles of traditional Korean art emerged and evolved throughout the many kingdoms and dynasties throughout the history of Korea and can be found in pottery, paintings, calligraphy, and sculptures. Read on to learn more about what makes Korean art unique.
Characteristics of Korean Art
Koreans throughout history, dating as early as the Three Kingdoms period, have produced incredible works of art in pottery, sculpting, calligraphy, and painting as they decorated surfaces and naturally formed canvases. Korean Art can be characterized by the consistent use of simplicity, sporadic designs, and a harmony with nature within the art. The art avoided extremes using softer linework, avoiding extreme angles, sharp lines, bold colors, and any bold outlines of subjects.
Much of the work created by artists was inspired by their surroundings in connection with a love of naturalism. Artists wanted to portray nature as closely as possible, leading them to use surfaces such as wood and stone and painting and creating in harmony with the surface's natural contours and textures instead of working against them. The art is meant to convey a feeling of peace and calm, with the overall effect being gentle and mellow so as not to disturb inner harmony.
Korean Pottery
The influence of Chinese culture in Korea began in the Neolithic Period and became more prominent as colonies of the Han empire began to settle in Northwestern Korea. Advanced pottery techniques were introduced and became widespread across the peninsula. Kilns could create a high gloss semi-transparent finish allowing finer details and deeper colors.
The pottery shows complex and impressive designs within the pottery of dots, linework, and patterns made by fingernails. Koreans eventually developed techniques for adding figurines and bone sculptures to their pottery works.
Early Paintings
Paintings featured shamanistic deities, heavenly bodies, constellations, and scenes of daily life. Traditionally, during the three kingdoms era, paintings would be created on the plaster within tombs, however, very few of these remain intact today. The scenes would depict not just everyday life but also include important events in the person's life.
Minhwa or Korean Traditional Folk Art, is a colorful painting style that was popular during the end of the Joseon era. Minhwa expresses the artist's hopes and desire for others using bright colors, humor, and positive figures. Many of the Minhwa art pieces were painted anonymously to be shared with the people of Korea to bring joy and hope.
Korean Calligraphy
Calligraphy, also called seoye, is a respected form of Korean art that was developed to convey the artist's emotions. Calligraphy is not just a form of handwriting. It is a known art form and a way of training and disciplining the mind. The strokes and styles of calligraphy could help you tell artists apart and were unique to the artists themselves.
The Korean Art styles are evident in works you can find throughout museums around the world. If you have an opportunity to visit a museum displaying Korean art, take the chance to view the beauty and connections with nature as you enjoy the simplistic and energizing images designed to fill you with hope and peace.