Royal Portraits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Ritual Context
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Like Life: Royal Portraits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Ritual Context By © 2018 Son, Myenghee (Son, Myeonghui) Submitted to the graduate degree program in Art History and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Chair: Marsha Haufler Sherry Fowler Jungsil Lee Amy McNair Kyoim Yun Date Defended: 26 April 2018 ii The dissertation committee for Myenghee Son (Myeonghui Son) certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Like Life: Royal Portraits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Ritual Context Chair: Marsha Haufler Date Approved: 26 April 2018 iii Abstract Like Life: Royal Portraits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Ritual Context Myenghee Son 2018 This dissertation examines the functions and meanings of Joseon royal portraits by investigating them in light of the material culture and the ritual practices of royal ancestor worship in royal portrait halls, where offerings of wine and food were presented before portrait paintings for royal ancestral rites. This study classifies portrait halls as either official or informal, depending on their inclusion in or exclusion from the official state rites and goes on to discern the different features and functions of specific portrait halls through in-depth investigation of the ritual goods used therein and the interior settings and adornment of the halls. By distinguishing repositories, where portraits were not formally worshipped, from portrait halls, it also offers case studies of portraits in the repositories and illuminates their original function and distinctive character in form and style. The first chapter focuses on the way the early Joseon court legitimated the rituals for the portrait halls of King Taejo and King Sejo by incorporating them into the state rites, which drew on Confucian textual traditions rooted in Chinese antiquity. It demonstrates that the principle of “serving the dead as if they were alive” shaped both the ritual practice and the material culture of portrait worship and resulted in the adoption of contemporary secular objects for use as offering vessels and furnishings in the portrait halls. The second chapter elucidates the functions of Yeonghuijeon, Jangnyeongjeon, and Hwaryeongjeon, the official portrait halls of the late Joseon and discusses the ways the status of individual halls was expressed through the material goods used in their rituals and physical environment. The iv third chapter concentrates on the distinguishing, exceptional features of Seonwonjeon, the informal portrait hall for the royal family in the inner quarter of the palace. Through an analysis of its material culture, this chapter addresses the origin of Seonwonjeon and identifies the distinguishing features and functions of the hall that arose out of popular customs and religious traditions other than state rites. Within this overarching scheme, the fourth chapter considers the issues of status and formality related to the displayed portraits as objects of worship in specific portrait halls. Recognizing the commemorative and “quasi-public” function of official portrait halls, it also examines the Joseon concepts of “rulership” embodied by the portraits displayed in them and the way the visual formulas for these portraits changed over the course of the dynasty. For the latter, I use the history of the imperial portraits of the Ming Dynasty as a foil. The fifth chapter notes the emergence of several repositories in the late Joseon period and discusses portraits of certain late Joseon kings that were installed in the repositories. It argues that these portraits functioned not only as stand-ins for the kings but also served broader political agendas. v Acknowledgements A few years ago, Sangnam Lee, one of my fellow graduate students at KU, said to me that I was blessed to be in Lawrence, Kansas. And she was right: when I look back on the years I spent in the University of Kansas at Lawrence, there are many memories I am grateful for. It was Marsha Haufler (Weidner), Professor Emerita of Later Chinese Art that led me to this “blessed” college town, accepting me as her last doctoral student. Due to her insightful and critical teaching and advice, my scholarly interest and sense, which had been weakened by hard work as an assistant curator in South Korea, reawakened through my coursework. I was so fortunate that I could take her seminars on Ming Court Art, Later Qing Figure Paintings, and Chinese Paintings, all of which enabled me to broaden my knowledge of Korean paintings in a cross-cultural perspective and which were instrumental in helping me conceptualize and write my dissertation. I gained a great deal of insight and knowledge and became a true scholar because of her advice. Furthermore, her perceptive suggestions and superb editing skills made my dissertation more convincing and readable. I also wish to acknowledge the great help of my other dissertation committee members: Professors Amy McNair, Sherry Fowler, Jungsil Lee, and Kyoim Yun, for their critical readings of my dissertation and valuable advice and comments on my defense. Professor Amy McNair and Professor Sherry Fowler shared their passion and knowledge on Chinese and Japanese art history, respectively, throughout my years of study at KU. My research interest in material culture for portrait worship was inspired by the courses on the early Chinese bronzes and tombs taught by Professor Amy McNair, the best lecturer I have ever met. I have benefited from Professor Sherry Fowler’s meticulous reviews of my term papers, which helped me use the format and style of academic writing with more confidence. vi Without her cheerful encouragement when I suffered writer’s block, it would have been hard for me to finish this dissertation. Professor Jungsil Lee, who I met in my second visit to Lawrence to write my dissertation, provided me with many tips that sustained me during the most stressful time in my academic life, when I was working on my degree and living with a child. Her politeness and kindness are examples that I will try to follow in my lifetime. My appreciation goes to other faculty members of the art history department including Maki Kaneko, Linda Stone-Ferrier, and David Cateforis. They always welcomed me with warmth and a helpful attitude. I would like to thank Professor Emerita Burglind Jungmann of UCLA for the insightful questions on the court paintings of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea that she posed during my doctoral comprehensive examination. Her questions enabled me to further consider the functions and use of Joseon art objects in the places where they were installed, influencing the research questions addressed in this dissertation. My deepest thanks should go to my teachers in Seoul, Korea as well. My college advisors, Professors Seung-Joo Riw and Hyun-Sook Park at Korea University did not cease in their encouragement and support for my pursuit of an academic life after I moved onto art history. As a rural-born college student, I could not have begun my graduate education without their help. During times of uncertainty in my early academic life, Professor Byungsun Bang gave me realistic and critical advice on studying art history and getting a job with an MA degree. I am thankful for the alumni, colleagues, and friends I met at KU. Professor Insoo Cho and Dr. Ghichul Jung generously offered their insights on my project. The heartfelt encouragement of Kyungwon Choe, Sangnam Lee, and Yegee Kwon, especially, supported my decision to temporarily leave my job and my husband in South Korea and return to KU to finish my dissertation. The presence of Janet Chen, Sooa McCormick, and Eunyoung Park in vii the USA helped me feel more connected when I returned to KU. I also thank the current graduate students who warmly welcomed me as an unfamiliar returnee and encouraged me through the hard work of writing a dissertation and taking care of my son. During my coursework, Brian Hogart, who is now the program director of Leadership in Museum Education at Bank Street College, helped me hone my English writing with kind editorial suggestions and encouraged me like my oldest brother. In the last year of dissertation writing, I was also indebted to the generous support of Ji-Yeon Lee, lecturer in Korean at KU. Randi Hacker enthusiastically read my dissertation through and shared her professional editing suggestions. Due to her cheerful comments, I finished my dissertation with more confidence. I could not have conducted my research without the help of the curators and museum staff in South Korea. I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Joon Seo, the longtime collection manager at the National Palace Museum of Korea. He allowed me access to Joseon royal objects that were in storage and enthusiastically explained the history of the collecting of those objects. Kyungjee Park, Heewon Jeong, and Hyunwoo Kwak in the same museum must also be thanked for providing me with detailed information and the photos of objects I requested and helping to arrange viewing sessions for me for several royal portraits. Lastly, I appreciate Seongbae Kim at the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea for his permission to use photos he personally took for my research. My study at University of Kansas was made possible with the support of a Korean Government Fellowship Program for Overseas Study. The fellowship helped me concentrate on studying during the coursework portion and successfully make the transition to doctoral candidate with honors, receiving both the Okubo Award and the Laurence Sickman Award. The positions of research assistant and teaching assistant provided by the art history department also helped me sustain my academic life in the USA. viii Last but not least, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to my family, especially my son Suyoon Lee, my husband Hanjae Lee, my parents and my parents-in-law.