K-Auction March Auction, 5m Moran Gwaeseokdo and Hoam Lee Byung-chul Calligraphy Works Featured

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] A large-scale Peony and Strange Rock Painting nearly 5 meters in size will be exhibited at the K Auction March auction held on the 25th. Calligraphy works by Emperor Gojong and Chairman Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung, will also be presented. A total of 175 pieces worth approximately 10 billion KRW will be exhibited at the K Auction March auction.

The peony symbolizes wealth and honor. Strange rocks signify longevity. The Peony and Strange Rock Painting thus conveys a wish for wealth and long life. This nearly 5-meter large Peony and Strange Rock Painting overwhelms viewers not only with its size but also with its powerful imagery.

Emperor Gojong’s calligraphy is a phrase from 'Zhuzi Zhijia Geyan (朱子治家格言)'?'Dushu Zhizai Shengxian (讀書志在聖賢),' meaning 'The purpose of reading is to learn from sages.' This work was bestowed by Emperor Gojong to Han Manyong, who served as the governor of Pocheon during the Korean Empire period. It shows the strong and thick brushstrokes characteristic of the style since King Jeongjo, who actively embraced the calligraphic style of An Jing-gyeong.

Chairman Hoam Lee Byung-chul enjoyed calligraphy so much that he always kept brush, ink, and paper in his office and started his day writing calligraphy. He especially wrote phrases from classics like the Analects or historical anecdotes, as well as his management philosophy and life principles in calligraphy. The phrase 'Injae Jeil (人材第一)' meaning 'People First,' exhibited this time, fully reflects Hoam’s management philosophy emphasizing that business is essentially about managing people. Hoam valued talent development so much that he said, 'Throughout my life, I spent 80% of my time gathering and educating talent.'

Moran Gwaeseokdo (牧丹怪石圖), ink and color on paper, each 117×59.5 cm, 8 panels, 19th century
[Photo by K Auction]

Emperor Gojong 'Reading with the Aspiration to Become a Sage' (독서지재성현), ink on silk, 36.5×78.5 cm
[Photo by K Auction]

Hoam Lee Byung-chul 'Talent First (人材第一)', ink on paper, 32.5×131 cm, 1981 [Photo by K Auction]

Works by artists such as Rakim Shaw, Hernan Bas, Marie Laurencin, Denis de la Rue, Lewis Roller, Jean-Marie Haesli, and Peter Halley, who have rarely been seen in Korea, will also be exhibited in large numbers.

Rakim Shaw’s work 'Fall of the Jade Kingdom II - Paradise Lost II' is filled with shattered and collapsing buildings and unknown creatures stabbing each other. It clearly expresses typical features and themes of Rakim Shaw’s work, including satire on human inner violence, the exotic atmosphere of architecture reminiscent of Ionic columns, and the mysteriousness of hybrid creatures. The metallic material, outlined with vivid industrial paint and enamel, and the finely detailed depiction of coral and flower stems create a jewel-like brilliance and decorative effect, similar to the Eastern cloisonn? porcelain craft technique.

Rakim Shaw was born in India in 1974. Although born into a Muslim family, he attended a Christian school, was educated by a Hindu scholar, and studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Rakim Shaw’s works have been exhibited at Tate Modern in 2006, the 6th Gwangju Biennale, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2008, the National Gallery of Scotland in 2018, and were also featured in last year’s exhibition 'APMA, CHAPTER ONE' at the Amorepacific Museum of Art.

Steve McCurry, a Magnum Photos photographer, has captured painful scenes in conflict zones and disaster areas as a documentary photographer. His photograph 'Sharbat Gula, Afghan Girl, Pakistan,' taken in June 1985 during the Soviet-Afghan war, was featured on the cover of National Geographic.

Raqib Shaw 'Fall of the Jade Kingdom Ⅱ-Paradise Lost Ⅱ', oil, acrylic, glitter, enamel and rhinestones on birchwood
91.5×152.4 cm, 2014
Photo by K Auction

Steve McCurry 'Sharbat Gula, Afghan Girl, Pakistan)', digital C-print, 53×36 cm, 1984/2009, signed and stamped studio label on the reverse
Photo by K Auction

Carlo Rossetti (1876-1948) was the third Italian consul to Joseon and a member of the Italian Geographical Society. As an Italian diplomat stationed in Seoul, he stayed in Joseon for seven months, collecting materials on Joseon’s customs, history, and geography, and photographed landscapes and daily life. Based on the photos he took, he published two volumes titled 'Corea e Coreani (Korea and Koreans).' The book contains a total of 434 photographs, of which 166 were taken by Rossetti himself, and 95 of these films are being auctioned this time. The photos capture scenes of Joseon on the cusp of modernization, including people minting coins at the newly established mint using the 'won' currency unit from 1902, telegraph poles visible around Donuimun and Sungnyemun gates, as well as everyday life scenes such as water carriers, pottery sellers, gat (traditional hat) repairmen, young roasted chestnut sellers, and women washing clothes, vividly portraying life 120 years ago.

The K Auction March auction will be held at 4 p.m. on the 25th at the K Auction headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. A preview of the auction items will be held without breaks during the preview period until the 25th, allowing visitors to view the works in person. The preview is free and open to all without prior reservation. Those wishing to participate in the auction can register as K Auction members (free) and place bids in writing, on-site, or by phone.

'Korea e Koreani' Film
Photo by K Auction

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.