Arts of Korea

This course is an introduction to the history of art on the Korean peninsula. Beginning in the Neolithic era, it offers a survey of significant artistic developments through the Three Kingdoms, Goryeo, and Joseon periods, in addition to works from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Students will explore a range of media, including ceramic vessels, sculptures, paintings, textiles, and architecture. Key artifacts and artistic traditions are discussed chronologically with their political, religious, and historical contexts. Korea will be framed in context with its East Asian neighbors to showcase its crucial role in the transmission of art and aesthetics across space and time.

Image Credit: Unknown. Pojaggi (wrapping cloth). Made of ivory silk. Top of multicolored silk patchwork. Loop handle attached to center. British Museum.