New Acquisitions Added to Korea: 100 Years of Collecting at the Met
«Don't miss these must-see recent gifts to the Museum, all of which are now installed in the Arts of Korea gallery as part of the exhibition Korea: 100 Years of Collecting at the Met, on view through March 27, 2016.»
One highlight is this elegant gilt-wood statue of a bodhisattva—a compassionate, enlightened being who has chosen to remain on earth to help mortals attain enlightenment.
Seated bodhisattva (left attendant of a triad), ca. mid-17th century. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Korea. Gilt wood; H. 20 1/4 In. (51.4 cm); W. 14 1/4 in. (51.4 cm); D. 12 3/4 in. (36.2 cm); H. to flame elements: 21 1/2 in. (54.6 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015 (2015.300.301a–c)
Also part of the bequest from the collection of Mary Griggs Burke (1916–2012) are these three exquisite painted scrolls.
Left: Shakyamuni triad (detail), 1565. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Korea. Hanging scroll; color and gold on silk; Image: 23 13/16 x 12 5/8 in. (60.5 x 32 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015 (2015.300.298). Center: Yi Jeong (Korean, 1541–1626). Center: Bamboo in the Wind, early 17th century. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Korea. Hanging scroll; ink on silk with gold on colophon; Image: 45 1/2 x 21 in. (115.6 x 53.3 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015 (2015.300.299). Right: Kim Gyujin (Korean, 1868–1933). Right: Orchids in Hanging Basket, early 20th century. Hanging scroll; ink on paper; Image: 55 1/4 x 15 3/4 in. (140.3 x 40 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015 (2015.300.300)
In addition to these gifts, the Museum recently purchased this gorgeous porcelain bowl painted in cobalt-blue pigment. The decoration consists of ten symbols of longevity: cranes, deer, turtles, bamboo, pine trees, mushrooms of immortality, water, mountain, sun, and blossom-like clouds. Come check out this vessel of long life!
Bowl with decoration of ten symbols of longevity (three detail views showing cranes [top], a pair of deer in between pine and bamboo [center], and turtles [bottom]), 19th century. Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Korea. Porcelain with cobalt-blue design; H. 4 in. (10.2 cm), Diam. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm), Diam. of foot 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Michael M. Kim and Jeanie J. Kim Gift, 2015 (2015.271)
This exhibition is part of The Met Asian Art Centennial 2015, a yearlong celebration of the Museum's Department of Asian Art. View all blog posts related to the centennial.
Related Links
Korea: 100 Years of Collecting at the Met, on view February 7, 2015–March 27, 2016
Now at the Met: "What's in a Face?" (July 22, 2015
Soyoung Lee
Curator Soyoung Lee joined the Department of Asian Art in 2003 and is responsible for The Met's Korean art collection, programs, and galleries. She has organized major international loan exhibitions with accompanying catalogues, including Silla: Korea's Golden Kingdom(2013) with Denise Patry Leidy and Art of the Korean Renaissance, 1400–1600 (2009), as well as shows focusing on the permanent collection such as Korea: 100 Years of Collecting at the Met (2015). She holds a PhD from Columbia University, with a dissertation on the relationship between Korean and Japanese ceramics from the 15th through the 19th century.