The social and economic rise of the chungin class ("middle people" who
ranked between the yangban aristocracy and commoners) during the late
Chosŏn period (1700-1910) ushered in a world of materialism and
commodification of painting and other art objects. Generally overlooked
in art history, the chungin contributed to a flourishing art market,
especially for ch'aekkori, a new form of still life painting that
experimented with Western perspective and illusionism, and a reimagined
style of the traditional plum blossom painting genre.
Sunglim Kim examines chungin artists and patronage of the visual arts,
and their commercial transactions, artistic exchange with China and
Japan, and historical writings on art. She also explores the key role of
men of chungin background in preserving Korean art heritage in the
tumultuous twentieth century, including the work of the modern Korean
collector and historian O Se-ch'ang, who memorialized many chungin
painters and calligraphers.
Revealing a vivid picture of a complex art world, Flowering Plums and
Curio Cabinets presents a major reconsideration of late Chosŏn society
and its material culture. Lushly illustrated, it will appeal to scholars
of Korea and East Asia, art history, visual culture, and social history.
A William Sangki and Nanhee Min Hahn Book
Art History Publication Initiative. For more information, visit http:
//arthistorypi.org/books/flowering-plums-and-curio-cabinets