[Korean Art in the U.S.] Korean Gallery at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) proudly announces the third installment of Korean Art in the U.S., presenting an expert-led virtual tour of Rediscovering Korea’s Past, now on view at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. This major exhibition in the museum’s Korean Gallery explores world-class traditional celadon ceramics from nearly a millennium ago that have become icons of Korean culture today. Guided by Sunwoo Hwang, Korean Program Associate at the Freer and Sackler, this first virtual tour of 2021 highlights exquisite works from the museum’s current exhibition, which focuses on celadon wares of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Many of the items were collected by the founder of the Freer Gallery of Art, Charles Lang Freer (1854–1919), around the turn of the twentieth century when there was a growing interest in Korean art on the Peninsula as well as in Japan, Europe, and America. Korean celadon from this period is distinguished by innovative techniques and a degree of artistry that was outstanding at the time. When its doors opened in 1923, the Freer Gallery’s holdings of Korean art were unparalleled in quality and historical scope. Tea bowls of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) are what first attracted Charles Lang Freer to Korean art. He later expanded his collection to include Goryeo dynasty celadon and rare examples of exquisite Buddhist paintings. Today, the 773 Korean objects in the gallery’s Korean collection include almost 300 ceramics spanning Korean history throughout the Three Kingdoms, Unified Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon periods. As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, the museum is temporarily closed to visitors. All images are credit and copyright to Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC To learn more, visit http://washingtondc.korean-culture.or...