朝鮮時代 版畵, 板刻 硏究

Abstract

Woodcuts in the Goryo Dynasty demonstrated elaborate and high-spirited styles mainly through Buddhist scriptures. This tradition developedwell into the Joseon Dynasty in diverse art forms. This study examines historical changes and implied meanings, and the engraving skills and beauty in the expression of woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty. Furthermore, the characteristics of drawings in woodcuts and the other features mentioned above will be explained with displays of specific woodcut works. Futhermore, these characteristicsand features will be analyzed and classified. Woodcuts in the Goryo Dynasty influenced those in the Joseon Dynasty in terms of their realistic and delicate expressions, which developed into more sophisticated forms by the middle of the Joseon Dynasty. Lines became thicker and details were omitted, signs that can be regarded as a retreat from the technical aspect. However, from the modernistic perspective, the controlled expression in touches is rather praised for their amplifying effect of the beauty of engraving. At the end of the Joseon Dynasty, the expressionistic and realistic trends were presented in more complicated forms. As a result, the combination of these trends were placed as a main trend, along with the perspective, and considered to be a major cause of a new transformation in Korea's art history. These features were all demonstrated in "Haengsildo" -- a book on basic manners of Confucius society -- where illustrations were added to facilitate readers'understanding of the message. Woodcuts were generally developed as a supplement. Woodcuts in this period were mainly used for Buddhist scriptures or for the delivery of Confuciusteachings, but later they came to contain various subjects of lay people other than proper manners and moral teachings, and this diversification of themes contributed to the development of woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty. Woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty were produced to satisfy individual needs and uses, and became popular among the grass roots unlike those of the Goryo Dynasty when they had been largely manufactured for patriotic purposes on a large scale. Two main characteristics defined woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty, unlike the Goryo Dynasty, they were not produced as an individual piece for artistic appreciation, instead manufacturedin a series for the purpose of illustrations for books, which showed that the uses of woodcuts changed along with the advances of society. Woodcuts were also mainly produced for illustrations to help readers learn the text easily. These illustrations were later used as a teaching tool to help lead lay people to enlightenment in Buddhism. Recently, as more attention is paid to woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty, furtherstudy is being conducted. As a result, the transformation in concepts of the beauty expressed in woodcuts has been studiedand identified. In this process, our perception of woodcuts has received new meanings and the extent of our understanding is widening. Accordingly, it is important to treat the woodcuts in the Joseon Dynasty as an individual artistic genre. In that light, this study generally illuminates the history of Korean traditional woodcuts, and the artistic expressions and engraving skills expressed in them.