Seoul Selection publishes visual book series on Korean heritage

Seoul Selection said Thursday it has published an English language book on court paintings from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) to introduce more Korean culture and tradition to foreigners.

The 170-page book on court paintings, the first part of the series "Visual Korean Heritage," features the beauty of various court paintings as well as royal rituals, banquets and processions.

Pictures of flowers, birds, mountains, the sea and divine animals are also introduced in the pictures with the author's commentary, according to Seoul Selection, one of the most renowned informative magazines in Seoul for foreigners.

The author of the first book, Park Jeong-hye, serves as a professor at the Academy of Korean Studies and a cultural expert at the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration.

Of the total 170 pages, some 120 pages are filled with images and pictures for easy access and understanding for foreigners.

The court paintings of the Joseon Dynasty were artwork created for the appreciation of the king, his family and high-ranking officials, according to the author. 

Pictures of significant moments in history were used to help the king and prince learn from the past and cultivate a heightened sense of morality and leadership.

Another crucial function of court paintings was both the documentation and conservation of the visual culture of the eras in which they were created, the professor said.

During the Joseon Dynasty, a period whose philosophical foundation rested on Confucian ideals, images played an essential role in the efficient management of the state.

The professor said the Joseon court paintings are the pinnacle of contemporary artwork of their time, produced by anonymous court painters to meet the tastes of the commissioners while abiding by past customs. (Yonhap)