Art of the Korean Renaissance, 1400-1600 Soyoung Lee, JaHyun Kim Haboush, Sunpyo Hong, Chin-Sung Chang

This notable catalogue - the first English-language publication on the subject - highlights the art of the early period (1392-1592) of Korea's revolutionary Joseon dynasty. The Joseon rulers replaced the Buddhist establishment and recreated a Korean society informed on every level by Neo-Confucian ideals. They supported the production of innovative secular art inspired by past traditions, both native and from the broader Confucian world. Yet despite official policies, court-sponsored Buddhist art endured, contributing to the rich complexity of the early Joseon culture. The exquisite paintings, porcelain and other ceramics, metalware, and lacquerware featured in the book are drawn from the holdings of major Korean and Japanese museums, the collection of the Metropolitan Museum and other U.S. collections; and private collections. Many of the works have never been seen in the United States.

Soyoung Lee is Assistant Curator, Department of Asian Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. JaHyun Kim Haboush is King Sejong Professor of Korean Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and History, Columbia University. Sunpyo Hong is Professor of Korean Art History, Department of Art History, Ewha Woman's University. Chin-Sung Chang is Assistant Professor of East Asian Art History, Department of Archaeology and Art History, Seoul National University.