Korea celebrates centennial of national museum

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- About 400 museum officials and cultural heritage
scholars from around the country and abroad gathered in central Seoul on Monday
to celebrate the centennial of Korea's first national museum.

Exactly 100 years ago, King Sunjong (1874-1926) of the Joseon Dynasty opened the
Imperial Museum, the predecessor of the National Museum of Korea, on Nov. 1 to
share the cultural assets with the public.
South Korea has dozens of exhibitions and performances lined up through the end
of this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its first national museum.
On Monday, the National Museum of Korea held a ceremony presenting honorable
medals to Lee Nan-young, former head of the Gyeongju National Museum, and Yoo
Sang-ok, chief of Coreana Museum, for their efforts in the development of Korean
museums and art galleries.
The ceremony was attended by Alissandra Cummins, president of the International
Council of Museums, a non-governmental organization maintaining formal relations
with UNESCO and having a consultative status with the United Nations' Economic
and Social Council. Cummins took office in 2004.
"The 100th Anniversary of Korean Museum??? will run through Nov. 8 at the
national museum, featuring some 150 ancient treasures and artworks including
ancient tomb painting and paintings currently owned by Japan and the United
States.
Some of the displayed works include "Mongyudowondo (Dream Journey to the Peach
Blossom Land)," by Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) painter Ahn Gyeon, and No. 207
national treasure "Cheonmado (Painting of the Heavenly Horse)," rarely disclosed
to the general public.
"Mongyudowondo," considered the oldest landscape painting by a Korean artist, is
currently housed in the central library of Tenri University in Japan and is
designated a Japanese national treasure.
"Cheonmado" is the only surviving painting from Korea's Silla Kingdom (57
B.C.-A.D. 936), excavated from Cheonmachong, or the Heavenly Horse Tomb, in the
Silla capital of Gyeongju.
On Sunday, the museum also disclosed to the public the Cheongjajeong, a
tile-roofed pavilion restored as recorded in a history book written during the
rule of King Euijong (1127-1173) of the Goryo Dynasty.
Beginning Tuesday through Nov. 15, a traditional textile art exhibition will be
held at the National Palace Museum of Korea, located within Gyeongbok Palace in
central Seoul, displaying some 100 pieces of clothing and fabrics from ancient
Korean kingdoms.
Some of the clothes include those worn by the fifth son and the daughter-in-law
of King Gojong (1852-1919) of the late Joseon Dynasty, and colorful children's
clothes dating back some two centuries.
The displayed materials are on loan from six private museums in Korea.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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