Dry-lacquered Tray

This is a dry-lacquer work by Kang Chang-gyu (1906–1977), the first Korean to study the crafts programme at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts). On an octagonal high-footed tray shaped like a fully bloomed morning glory, dark brown and red lacquer are used alternately, producing a strong colour contrast and a brilliant surface lustre; the sihoe technique (makie), in which gold powder is sprinkled onto the lacquer to render fine patterns, shows one facet of modern-era craftwork. Reflecting the spirit of its age in boldly attempting creative forms rather than following traditional patterns, the work is regarded as extremely demanding in technique and holds great artistic value in the history of modern-era crafts. Gancheol (dry lacquer) is a lacquering method in which the form of a vessel is built up by applying and hardening layers of lacquer over hemp cloth. The artist made this piece in 1933 as his graduation work; on his teacher's recommendation it was entered in the 12th Joseon Art Exhibition, where it won a special prize, and it was subsequently purchased by the Yi royal household. The gancheol technique, which had been forgotten by the late Joseon period, was reintroduced to Korea through an artist who had studied it in Japan; as a work made using this technique, it holds great symbolic value as a representative example both of the new style of early modern-era craft and of the early artistic world of an artist who went on to be highly active in the Joseon Art Exhibition.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Designation

Registered Cultural Heritage · 국가등록문화유산