Review of the Evaluation and System of Korean Calligraphy and Painting – The 10th Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

　At the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, we actively promote research exchange by inviting external researchers to present their findings. At the 10th research seminar held on February 17, 2025, Professor Seo Yoon-jung from Myongji University, South Korea, delivered a presentation titled “An Gyeon and the North China School of Landscape Painting in East Asia—Attributed Works, Forgeries, and Korean Paintings within Kara-e.” Additionally, Chief Curator Kim Gwi-bun from the National Hansen’s Disease Museum presented on “The Process of Professionalization of Calligraphy in Modern Korea and Its Characteristics—Focusing on the Trends of Bureaucrat-turned-Calligraphers.” Lastly, Tashiro Yuichiro, a researcher at our institute, gave a presentation entitled “Sekino Tadashi’s (関野貞) Survey of Korean Paintings and Korean Collectors—Based on Survey Materials Preserved at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.”

　Each presentation examined the evaluation and institutional framework surrounding Korean calligraphy and painting. Professor Seo Yoon-jung analyzed the process by which various works attributed to An Gyeon were historically recognized in Edo-period Japan and Joseon Korea. She also explored how An Gyeon’s paintings could be positioned within the lineage of the North China school of landscape painting in East Asia. Following this, Kim Gwi-bun investigated the process by which calligraphers, particularly those from bureaucratic backgrounds, transitioned into professionalized careers from the late Joseon period through the colonial era. Lastly, Yuichiro Tashiro examined Sekino Tadashi’s survey of Korean paintings and the role of Korean collectors, using research notes on Korean paintings preserved at our institute as primary materials.

　The seminar was conducted in a hybrid (HyFlex) format with simultaneous online streaming. It attracted not only students and researchers from Japan, but also scholars from the United States, China, and other countries. The event concluded successfully with active participation and engagement from a broad international audience.