Korean - General

Korea has a storied and highly esteemed history of art. Sought-after Korean art dates back as far as 7000 B.C. and includes world-class pottery and ceramics, painting and calligraphy, and craftsman furniture.

In Korea, ceramics evolved from objects created for the utilitarian demands of everyday life to more decorative creations that included iconography from Buddhism and quotidian life. During the Iron Age (circa 300 B.C.), the potter wheel was introduced, which expanded the possibilities of ceramics. This enabled artisans to build more refined and consistent forms and introduced the white porcelain and celadon Korean pottery is known for today.

Korean painting encompasses a diversity of genres including landscape, portraiture, calligraphy, and abstraction. Korean art of all types continues to thrive internationally as well as in the Insadong district of Seoul, which features more than fifty art galleries. Artists such as Lee Ufan, Joonho Jeon, and Soo Koo Shim produce celebrated works of contemporary art.