17세기 인·숙종기의 왕릉 조각

Abstract

17th century stone statues, protecting royal tombs, are major figures decorating tombs and showing the dignity and the social status of the entombed. Stone statues look majestic and strong, and their shapes are rather more abstract than realistic and are very rigid so that they emphasize their main function of protecting and decorating the tomb. There are stone attendants, folding-screen-style stone, tomb lantern, stone image of an animals, a pair of stone posts in front of Joseon Dynasty royal tombs. Stone figures of royal tombs in the 17th century have historiographical value because they are inscribed with the exact year of their production, and many different tombs, both royal and aristocratic tombs, remain in Korea. Particularly, stone statues of royal tombs of the 17th century Joseon Dynasty have higher art historical value because it is possible to trace the exact year, the procedure of carving, and the artists and their schools from the ceremonial document. The 17th century of Joseon Dynasty was an important period in the development of a unique Korean style in most artworks. The characteristic of the 17th century is the square-shaped body of figures. They are composed of three body portions which are the head, the upper and the lower parts of the body. This period formalized very abstract shapes which have no curves in the shape of the body and rigid and heavy figures. The typical examples of this period are the figures in Soong-roong(崇陵, 1674), Ik-roong(翼陵, 1680), Hui-roong(徽陵, 1688). The figures of the 17th century have a balanced and standard composition, with detailed descriptions of the face, and the delicate engraving of cloth.