• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.15
• /
• pp.122-137
• /
• 2014

The National Museum of Korea own a historical document box ^K976 that was once used to store Joseon Wangjo Sillok ^{Annals of the Joseon Dynasty} of the Joseon Dynasty. The rectangular box has a lid, and the entire surface is varnished with black lacquer. The wood of the box had become warped and the upper part of the wooden frame had been damaged. In some areas, the paint was flaking off, exposing the underlying wood, and an iron ring that connected the lid to the body of the box was missing. Thus, in 2013, Conservation Science Department in National Museum of Korea began to repair and restore the Joseon document box. Before the treatment, analyses were conducted to examine the box's structure, damaged parts, species of wood, and lacquering techniques. The wood was found to be that of a linden tree. As for the lacquering technique, the surface of the box was first coated with a layer of lacquer and bone ash, and then covered with Korean traditional paper. Next, the box was painted with a layer of mud and ashes, followed by a layer of black pigment mixed with soot, and then varnished again with lacquer.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.257-292
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study is to grope for some developmental strategies for traditional handicraft industry in Korean through focusing on its woodenware handicraft. Human beings built up the stone Age and also used the woodenware culture together with the stone culture. From the fact that there was a serious limit in preserving for the woodenware, the lacquered ware appeared. By dint of lacquering for a long time. The woodenware was used widely for an eating table during the Three Kingdom Period, the Koryo Period, and the Yi Dynasty. Since the 1960s it was declined as the cheaper stainless and plastics came in the market. But, for the woodenware handicraft as the traditional handicraft industry some developmental strategies in terms of governmental policies are needed.

• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.9
• /
• pp.95-104
• /
• 2008

Wooden objects excavated from Gwangju Shinchang-dong, we analyzed total 40 pieces consisting of 37 pieces for analysis of species of trees, 3 pieces for analysis of lacquer. and especially it was found that in case of lacquerware and living goods like dish, diffuse-porous woods were used. As a result of this, total 7 species of trees used for wooden objects identified are Quercus spp., Cearsus spp., Prunophora spp., Acer spp., Salix spp., Populus spp. were identified. As a result of analyzing lacquered film, though there is a difference of times of lacquering between holed lacquerware and cylider type lacquerware body part 5, it was confirmed that after undercoating, black pigments and lacquer were painted on upper layer in mixture, and foundation platter for with 5 parts lacquer ware was undercoated with mixture of powdered soil, black pigments and lacquer, and then its upper layer was coated with lacquer mixed with black pigments.

• Journal of Conservation Science
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.17-24
• /
• 2017

Studies were conducted on manufacturing techniques by applying microscopy and conservation treatments on the annals of Joseon dynasty storage box at the National Museum of Korea. The results revealed that lime tree wood(Tilla spp.) was used to make the annals of Joseon dynasty storage box. Lacquering techniques were used to coat the box with a layer of lacquer and bone ash and then cover it with traditional Korean paper. After being covered with traditional Korean paper, more layers were applied in the following sequence: mud ashes, black lacquer, pure lacquer, and black lacquer. Before conservation treatments, some components and lacquer layers were missing in addition wood joint were loose. Therefore, conservation and restoration should be conducted based on the identified wood and by observing the shape of the remaining components.

• Conservation Science in Museum
• /
• v.24
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2020

X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT), which is often applied to the investigation of the interior structures of cultural properties, is very useful for studying production methods used in lacquerware that would otherwise be difficult to observe with the naked eye. Lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl is an important subject in the study of traditional Korean craft. However, it can be a challenge to specify the production methods used in the framework of a lacquerware item unless the object has been structurally damaged. Studies of lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl have thus far focused on the techniques of lacquering and of inlaying the mother-of-pearl. Production methods for the framework of lacquerware has received little academic attention. This study conducted X-ray CT on a lacquerware item from the Joseon period to reveal the materials and woodworking techniques used for the framework. The study revealed that softwood was used for the framework, and the post (gidungmok) and apron (soemok) were joined using a three-way miter joint (sambang yeongwi jjaim). Other pieces were joined with nails.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• no.12
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 1997

This study was carried out to find out some similarities and differences of the ornamental technique and motifs in folk furniture between Denmark and Korea which had quite different background of development of folk furniture as one of a cross-cultural study. Furniture made and used in the 18th and 19th century was investigated in order to eliminate the influence of internationalism in the design area in the 20th century. This study was fulfilled by many study trips all over the districts in Denmark to identify Danish folk furniture as well as literature study. Study trips to folk museums. Insa-dong, Janghanpyung furniture market were done for Korean folk furniture. Characteristics of ornament in Danish folk furniture were as followings; Main materials of the Danish folk furniture were conifers, especially pine tree, as pine was very common and easy to get from their surroundings. The most popular and unique types of decoration in Danish folk furniture was painting. Colors used in painted furniture were very bright and vivid. This might be a reaction to the long and dark winter of Scandinavian countries. Motifs used in Danish folk furniture had been chosen to reflect their surroundings. Flowers, six-angular stars, animals, human figures and Biblical motifs were popular sources of decoration for Danish folk furniture. Characteristics of Korean folk furniture were as followings; Main materials of Korean folk furniture were broad-leaved trees as well as conifers, because of their beautiful wood grain. The Korean ways of decoration were different from Danish ones. The method of painting with bright from Danish ones. The method of painting with bright colors was hardly ever used in Korea, except only in lacquering. The most popular decoration method for Korean folk furniture was revealing the natural wood grain with transparent vegetable oil finish, instead of painting. Metal ornament was unique to Korean folk furniture. therefore a lot of metal ornaments were attached on the furniture. Motifs used in Korean folk furniture were more like symbolic than Danish ones. Korean people tried to express their longings and norms through the motifs, such as longevity, prosperity, good luck, and many sons, etc. Therefore, it was natural for Korean motifs to have special symbolic meanings.

• MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
• /
• v.96
• /
• pp.209-223
• /
• 2019

The Iron Seated Buddha sculpture in the National Museum of Korea had long sat unregistered in storage at the museum. However, a new accession number "bon9976" has recently been assigned to it. This sculpture was excavated from the neighborhood of Heungnyongsa Temple in Baekun-ri, Yidong-myeon, Pocheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do Province together with another Iron Seated Buddha sculpture(bon9975) called "Iron Buddha from Pocheon." A comparison and examination of Gelatin Dry Plate and official documents from the Joseon Government-General Museum during the Japanese occupation period have revealed that these two Iron Buddha sculptures were transferred to the Museum of the Government-General of Korea on December 17, 1925. The Iron Seated Buddha sculpture(bon9976) has a height of 105 centimeters, width at the shoulders of 57 centimeters, and width at the knee of 77 centimeters. The Buddha is wearing a robe with rippling drapery folds and the right shoulder exposed. He is seated in the position called gilsangjwa(the seat of good fortune) in which the left foot is placed over the right thigh. The features of the Buddha's oval face are prominently sculpted. The voluminous cheeks, eye sockets in a large oval shape, slanted eyes, short nose, and plump lips can also be found in other ninth-century Iron Seated Buddha sculptures at Silsangsa Temple in Namwon, Jeollanam-do Province, Hancheonsa Temple in Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and Samhwasa Temple in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do Province. Moreover, its crossed legs, robe exposing the right shoulder, and rippling drapery folds suggest that this sculpture might have been modeled after the main Buddha sculpture of the Seokguram Grotto from the eighth century. The identity of this Iron Seated Buddha can be determined using the Gelatin Dry Plate(M442-2, M442-7). In them, the Buddha has its right palm facing upwards and holds a medicine jar on its left palm. Until now, the Iron Seated Bhaiṣajyagura(Medicine) Buddha(bon1970) excavated from Wonju has been considered the sole example of an iron Medicine Buddha sculpture. However, this newly registered Iron Seated Buddha turns out to be a Medicine Buddha holding a medicine jar. Furthermore, it serves as valuable material since traces of gilding and lacquering clearly remain on its surface. This Iron Seated Buddha sculpture (bon9976) is presumed to have been produced around the ninth century under the influence of Esoteric Buddhism by the Monk Doseon(827~898), a disciple of the Monk Hyecheol, to protect the temple and help the country overcome geographical shortcomings. According to the records stored at Naewonsa Temple(later Heungnyongsa Temple), Doseon selected three significant sites, including Baegunsan Mountain, built "protector" temples, created the Bhaisajyagura Buddha triad, and enshrined them at the temples. Moreover, the inscription on the stele on the restoration of Seonamsa Temple states that Doseon constructed temples and produced iron Buddha sculptures to help the country surmount certain geographical shortcomings. Heungnyongsa Temple is located in Dopyeong-ri, Yidong-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Province. This region appears to have been related to rituals directed to the Medicine Buddha since Yaksa Temple(literally, "the temple of medicine") was built here during the Goryeo Dynasty, and the Yaksa Temple site with its three-story stone pagoda and Yaksadong Valley still exist in Dopyeong-ri.