From Diplomatic Gifts to Imperial Attire: Tracing the Korean Empire Through Crafts

The Seoul Craft Museum announced on April 27 that it will simultaneously open two special exhibitions, "The Hybrid" and "Andong Byeolgung: Layers of Time," on April 28 to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and the 120th anniversary of the royal wedding of Emperor Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo.

Exhibition view of "The Hybrid," which highlights the history of cultural exchange between Korea and France through crafts since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1886. Seoul Museum of Craft Arts

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"The Hybrid," held on the third floor of Exhibition Hall 1, highlights the history of cultural exchange between Korea and France through crafts since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1886. The exhibition introduces crafts from the Korean Empire era, developed during the transitional period when tradition and modernity, East and West, intersected around the time of Korea's opening to the outside world.

The exhibition features 17 artifacts being introduced to Korea for the first time. Among them, nine are designated or registered as national heritage. There are a total of 24 craft artifacts brought in from overseas, including 23 from France and one from Germany.

The exhibition includes pieces from the collection of the Mus?e National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet, the National Museum of S?vres Ceramics, the Mus?e des Arts et M?tiers in Paris, and the Museum am Rothenbaum in Germany. Highlights include a mother-of-pearl lacquered three-tier chest said to have been presented by King Gojong as a diplomatic gift, a fan known to have been given by Empress Myeongseong to the wife of Horace Allen, and a pure gold bracelet bestowed upon the Underwoods to celebrate their marriage.

The exhibition also features a blue and white porcelain jar with a dragon design, believed to have been gifted by King Gojong to Victor Collin de Plancy, the first French minister to Korea. Other notable items include a two-tier chest inlaid with horn and a gourd-shaped cabinet from the Guimet Museum’s collection, as well as a series of vases created by the S?vres manufactory inspired by Korean ceramics.

"Andong Byeolgung: Layers of Time," held on the third floor of Exhibition Hall 3, focuses on imperial crafts and attire from the Korean Empire, based on the historical location of the Andong Byeolgung site where the Seoul Craft Museum now stands. The exhibition features artifacts from Emperor Sunjong and Empress Sunjeonghyo, who held their royal wedding there in 1906, as well as items from King Uiwang and his wife, who spent their later years at this site.

Numerous artifacts from the Oryundae Korean Martyrs Museum are also on display. These include the treasured "Uiwang and Youngwang Investiture Uigwe," the "Chubong Investiture Uigwe," and royal attire actually worn by Empress Sunjeonghyo and Queen Uiwang.

In particular, the original "Wonyugwan" crown, believed to have been worn by King Uiwang at his 1906 investiture ceremony, will be unveiled. The Wonyugwan, which was first shown during its designation as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, is being exhibited for the first time since then and will be on limited display for only six days to ensure preservation.

Both exhibitions include collaborations with contemporary artists. In "The Hybrid," French artist Fran?ois Perrodin presents an installation inspired by the principles of the Taegeuk and the four trigrams. For "Andong Byeolgung: Layers of Time," artist Kwon Minho reconstructs the spatial transformation from Andong Byeolgung to Pungmun Girls' High School and finally to the Seoul Craft Museum through drawings and video works.

"The Hybrid" runs through July 26, while "Andong Byeolgung: Layers of Time" will be on view until August 29, 2027.

Kim Sujeong, Director of the Seoul Craft Museum, stated, "This exhibition is a place where crafts, once confined to the time and space of the past, now meet us in the present to create new meanings and history."

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